Once in a Black Moon
by Horinging
Summary: Phoebe's past with Cole comes back to haunt her, in the shape of a child. Once again another evil rises...but this one is gonna hit close to home. REVISED...sorta....
1. Black Moon Rising

_Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, but I do own my character whose name I have yet decided upon; though the moons and names Nuitari, Lunatari, and Solinari, are property of Dragon lance._

This isn't the original version, rather I'm revising everyone chapter in the story up to chapter 7; So bare with me as the plot will stay the same, but some parts may be added or removed. If you notice some grammar errors please contact me.

* * *

Chapter 1

Black Moon Rising

* * *

He had found it five years ago. A strange little being, human in features, yet so much power flowed within. It had been closed to death, living off the magic of some deceased woman; and Simelan had taken it, nourished it himself.

The magical presence had been enough to tell him, that he had found what countless demons had spent centuries, perhaps millennia searching for. "Seed of the Source and of them who are charmed thrice; that who is to be known only as The Black Moon," yes he was quoting; Simelan's mother would've choked on her own tongue to consider her son as one to even know how to read, let alone memorize such an ancient prophecy.

But it didn't matter given up by its mother, believed to have been consumed by the fire of their "good magic." They had no idea what they had put into the world, and no idea that such power could not easily be erased. The irony that blood would consume blood was as sweet nectar to his lips.

"The time has come Nuitari." The child stared up at him, icy blue eyes questioning. Simelan leaned over a smile playing on his face; the demonic look of fatherly love, mocking the child.

Simelan paused looking the child over. No, not like this; he could not bring a child in such appearance to such a joyous event, no he wanted to make sure that right off they knew who the boy was. To savor the look of agony that will rip through their faces, or perhaps the terror of thinking that The Source had returned. Whichever it was to be, he would enjoy it.

"Time...?" The five years old voice echoed throughout the hall; timid, yet clear.

"Yes time; you and I are going to say hi to mommy.

* * *

"Tell my why we are here again" Paige whispered angrily, as she stood out in the rain. Suddenly she sneezed and disappeared in a cloud of bright blue orbs, shaking her head Phoebe let out a sigh, "Darryl said there had been a string of murders, each female, each with a strange emblem etched into their skin. All of them had been known practitioners of witchcraft." Phoebe retorted after her sister appeared again; She sent Paige a glare, having had explained it to her the tenth time.

They walk quietly behind the ally, making sure no cops were left around, Darryl had promised to leave the door open; though Paige had tried to orb in the night before, suffice to say she still had the bruise on her forehead.

"I've been thinking it isn't a demon." Paige said, pointing out the obvious. If the barrier wouldn't let good magic in, why would it let evil?

"So what do you think we're dealing with?" Phoebe whispered back.

Paige shrugged in response. They continued down the alley until they reached the back door of the shop. It was surprisingly warm, despite the broken windows and overall mess of the place.

"Whoever did it, obviously wasn't trying to be subtle," Paige remarked grimacing from the blood stains that were dragged all over the room.

Phoebe shrugged, surprised herself that she wasn't completely grossed out by the splashes of blood that littered the ground.

"Definitely been doing this for too long," she muttered under her breath, Paige nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright Pheebs, I'll check downstairs, you can check upstairs." Phoebe stared at her sister, noting how she had said the whole thing all too much in a hurry.

She shrugged, it really didn't matter much to her really, but for some strange reason she wasn't comfortable going upstairs.

As she climbed the stairs uncertainty filled her, each step a growing fear ate away at her stomach; was it fear? Her empathy really couldn't even describe what the emotion was, what they were, a mixture of so much she could pick out longing…and a desire to part with...something...but even though her heart couldn't decide, her mind told her that whatever was up there she didn't want to face.

Unlike the rest of the house the staircase was a freezing cold, and she almost wished she had brought a sweater; it wasn't even that cold outside she thought, but the stair case felt as if it was board lining below zero; she wouldn't have been surprised to have seen icicles hanging from the banister.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she finally entered the hallway, light coming from a small bulb that swung from the ceiling.

She pushed open the door to the room, and stepped into the darkness, fumbling she managed to turn on a lamp, her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change, as she tried to make sense of what was around her.

She had seen many demonic murders before, but usually there were marks of a struggle, and of some innate mess, despite the gory death the woman had undergone, the room was surprisingly clean, only a few books were strewn on the floor.

Phoebe moved towards the books crouching to read through them; blood stains covered them, didn't matter though she could only make up some of the words, it was in Latin, and though she had hated school apparently some of it had stuck with her.

Something about moons of magic, three in total, which was strange as far as she could figure there, was only one moon, and its magical powers rarely awakened.

"PHOEBE!" Paige's voice reached her echoed throughout the apparent, and Phoebe stood up quickly, nearly crashing down as she rushed downstairs. Paige stood before the back wall, her flash lighting shining brightly.

She reached Paige's side staring up at the wall before her. A strange yet oddly familiar symbol was marked on the wall, three triangles connecting; intertwined, but yet still separate.

"Looks kinda familiar don't it..." Paige's voice shook her from thoughts.

"Yeah...it does."

He watched the boy barely moving vanquish demon, after countless demon, his hands orchestrating the destruction. He had to admit he was surprised, he wouldn't have expected so much control. The spell had worked quite successfully turning the five year old into a 17 year old teenager. Though not as powerful as he would be when he came to age of his own, the power was still there. His resemblance to his father was quite uncanny, barely a trace of the mother showed to his visage, except perhaps in the shape of his face.

* * *

"So Nuitari, did she get the message?" The boy stopped moving for an instant "well did she?" He questioned again.

A quick nod and his diverted his attention back, to another demon that was quickly consumed in flames. Excitement filled him; not only would he destroy the Charmed ones, but he would also have the book of shadows, with that he would be able to open to the nexus. With such power it was only a matter of time before the underworld was his.

But revenge was first; for the underworld, for daring to try to destroy their way of life. The Charmed ones would pay, and the boy was the perfect path.

"So how about we go for a more personal visit, I'm sure she is in a rush to meet her dear child."

* * *

"The power of three?" Piper asked, holding a tired Chris in her arms.

"Well not really it looked similar but it was different, more powerful." Phoebe said flipping through the book of shadows. "Both Paige and I could feel the power growing from it; don't know how but just from being around it...I felt power."

"And you think that this was left for us?" Piper questioned.

"Just got a feeling, something was calling us," She paused "me" she whispered softly, and Piper shot her a glance. Phoebe swallowed and continued "whatever it was though I didn't like it..."

"Did you manage to find out how it was connected with the murder?"

"The same symbol was cut into the woman's forehead, but besides that I'm not even sure if it's demonic, maybe some deranged killer." Phoebe uttered exasperated.

"You know these guys Phoebe, the moment they start carving symbols into people, is the moment they are involved in more then just simple hobbies." Piper retorted.

"Hobbies," Phoebe shot a glare at her sister, Piper responding with a shrug.

Leo orbed into the room, and the sisters automatically sighed at worried expression on his face.

"Okay Leo…what horrible information do they have to give us now?" Piper laid Chris down on, an old sofa, and went to stand by her husband.

"According to the elders that sign signifies the three moons of magic..."

Piper cut him off. "Three moons of magic...Leo there's only one moon, and its magical powers are usually latent."

"Well before...there was three; each signifying there deity, one for light magic, one for dark magic, and another for neutral...Solinari, Nuitari, and Lunitari."

"And we've never heard about them why?" Piper questioned, "Well...they've been dead for millenniums...well as dead as a true immortal can get." Leo pointed out.

"true immortals," Piper shot a glance at Phoebe who shook her head, "Leo why is it, that the Elders, or the Powers That Be hold back valuable information until someone has died, and or our lives are in possible danger?"

Leo shrugged.

"They didn't exist then...the elders didn't that is, during that time there was no such thing as Good, or Evil. Elders, or Demons...there was simply magic and the beings who could use it; Humans, demos, and the magical creatures. That's all they told me anyway..." The sisters stared at him intently as he continued.

"Something happened though, don't know when really or what, but there was a division. Human corruption and the demons we know of today appeared, the remaining of those who were good became the elders, and the Demos became what we know as the cleaners."

Piper stared at him, her eyes wide as if her husband had suddenly gone insane.

"You're telling us that demons...were once...humans?" Piper questioned incredulously.

Leo nodded.

"Ever wonder how a demon could get pregnant, or get a human pregnant? The genetic makeup is on some level the same." He noticed the look of pain the quickly flashed through Phoebes face.

Leo quickly changed the subject, "it was also around this time that The Hollow appeared."

"Well let's cut the history lesson and get to the point here..." Paige said standing at the doorway her hands on her hips; from her position the sisters could already tell she was ready for action.

"These Immortals," Leo continued ignoring the interruption, "where magic, not good or evil, but just magic. Light magic for helping and healing and protecting, and what Light Magic wouldn'tt do Dark magic took over...and Neutral to keep the balance in check."

"Meaning...?" All three sisters asked.

"Light magic could heal you, but if you died...well you died. But Dark magic could allow you to summon the soul of one you lost, but it came with a sacrifice...personal gain. Neutral magic existed as the controlling agent, it produced the laws."

"So what does this have to do with the killings anyway?" Paige questioned.

"If what the Elders suspect is true, then...well...Nuitari is alive and well...and that's a problem." Leo knew that the sisters didn't understand the gravity of what he was saying. To them they were just going to face another demon that needed to be vanquished, and like clockwork Phoebe responded as he expected.

"Great evil guy on the loose, and it's our jobs to stop him...all in a days work right?" Phoebe stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to bed...tell me when something new happens," using her hand to fight back a yawn that threatened to come out, as she walked out the attic door.

Leo watched her leave, and a sigh escaped his lips. He wasn't sure he wanted to her to hear what he was about to say next. "What's wrong Leo?" Piper asked catching his exasperated glance at Phoebe's exit. He turned to her smiling sorrowfully.

"Nuitari has to be reborn into the world, no question about it, he has to be. As an Immortal his essence doesn't move on; it lingers, gathering power until it can take a form, and for that too happen, it needs a gate," he paused gazing at each one; the answer creeping slowly into their souls. "Dark magic was the embodiment of balance. For Nuitari to even be able to exist on this plane...he would need the ultimate power of evil, the ultimate good...and the balance of a human to maintain both; The Source...and a witch."

"Oh crap." Paige muttered.

* * *

Sleep had steered away from her contrary to the tiredness that she had felt. Instead Phoebe had sat in front of her mirror, waiting but no tears of mourning came; she was beyond that point now.

She no longer cried as she had the first year, but the pain was fresh, and becoming an empath had done nothing more but accentuate it. Yet the pain didn't emanate from simply the memory, but that she had no one to share it with; the men in her life had all but disappeared, and her sisters…her sisters didn't remember, and probably all as well that they didn't. It would only be pity, pity for poor little Phoebe who couldn't make things work…who couldn't keep the family that she always wanted.

Today would have been his sixth birthday...the baby she had lost..._they_ had lost. On this day no matter how much she tried. Perhaps it was better that he was dead, what kind of life would she have been able to offer him? She thought, seeking some from of justification within the words, but no matter how much she tried, she could not deny the truth and its painful reality...she had killed her own child, and nothing could ever change that.

'_I'm so sorry,_' were her final thoughts; whispered for none to hear as sleep finally took her.

* * *

Was it truly possible to feel such hatred for someone? He questioned himself staring at her sleeping form. Tears came down unhindered; she hadn't been crying before.

"Why are you crying?" Nuitari whispered, the human soul confused him, he was aware that he as well possessed one, but its desires and needs were to much that he simple kept it suppressed. She stirred slightly; so many emotions were floating through him, and tears as well flowed from his eyes, burning their way down his cheeks; he wiped his eyes quickly before they fell, partly to avoid detection, and partly because he knew how dangerous they could be to human flesh…her flesh.

More power rested in her than the women who he had killed. Nuitari shook his head, removing the imagines; perhaps their death had not been by his own hand, but he was still responsible. He stared intently at the woman sleeping before him, with her it was different; yes he was indeed aware that she had been his carrier and he was aware that at some point the conception had been from love. How could he call her mother then? A woman who would cast him aside so readily, without a glance; no not without a glance here she was crying, but was it truly from regret, or just another deception of the human soul.

There was no possible way he could consider this woman his mother, and he would damn his soul to an eternity of suffering if he did not make sure she felt the pain that he at one point felt; still felt. Unlike the others he wanted he wanted to end her life; the desire to watch her life blood pool from under his fingers, and it would be so simple to do so right now. He gazed at his hand, watched it reach for her; her throat was exposed; fragile.

Instead as if in mockery he found his hands moving away from her neck, reaching to wipe the tears that continued to pool from her eyes. She stirred slightly from his hand, and his soul wrenched, his human side letting out a cry; a sound full of sorrow, and anger.

He jerked away; and his eye's dulled even further. It would be so easy to kill her, so simple…it should be so simple.

"No...Not yet." Vying once again for control; Nuitari backed away his eyes never leaving her face, contorted in silent suffering.

"Sleep in your world mother...and when the time comes...I'll bring you to mine."

With that he faded into the moonlight.

* * *

"Tell me again what you want me to do?"

"We need your help finding him..."

"Find him...why should I? Do the others even know your talking to me...I'm sure Paige would object. Besides I don't owe you anything Piper, I did my part to help you already."

"I know...but it isn't for me it's for her..."

"For Phoebe..." His voice

"No." Finality laced in his words and the pitch of his voice rose higher; completely different then the man she once knew.

"No more...I cant do anymore...anyway if you haven't noticed; I'm stuck here remember."

"I know but I can get you out if..."

"No Piper. Just no...I'm done with the Charmed Ones, for once in over a hundred years I am finally at peace...let me rest." He voice was almost pleading as he turned away to disappear.

"Then do it for him..." She called out.

He stopped, his eyes flashing.

"Don't owe him anything either."

"Yes you do...he deserves to know his father."

"What are you talking about? I don't have a son." He replied calmly, but she noticed his gaze waver slightly, and a bit of rage flash through.

"You did at one time Cole...and if you help me...You will again." She stared intently into the eyes of the man who stood before her, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man he once was.

Cole looked away; his relationship with Piper had never been the best, but she had always been the most understanding; for accepting him as part of the family, he felt as if he owed her, and if there was one thing that he always made sure of was that his debts were always paid. But he didn't want to get involved, he didn't want to go back...was it his destiny to continuously be pulled back into the conflict of mortals? He laughed bitterly, ignoring the look on Piper's face as he contemplated; there was no real reason, it would lead to nothing but another vanquishing…for him…and possibly his son as well.

Would they, and Cole shook the thoughts from his head; yes they would; they had before and what really could stop them…not him…unless if he managed to take his son with him, and wasn't that the chance that he was being offered right now?

If his own father a mortal had been willing to go after his mother, and saved him; could he not possibly do the same? And here now he was being offered the same chance...would he shame his father?

"So..." Piper asked; the ticking of the grandfather clock echoing through the room as an uncomfortable silence rose through the manor.

Cole lifted his eyes to her, and once again Piper could only wonder what exactly had happened to the man.

"Fine...bring me back Piper." The words were whispered, and she noted that his voice was tired and ragged.

"On one condition..." He continued when she turned to leave, his voice stronger "when this is all over...I leave…with him."

She wanted to argue, she knew she should argue, but now was not the time; when the moment was right this argument would be fought.

"Fine…."

Cole watched her turn away and began working on the spell.

He knew she wouldn't keep her part of the bargain but for how long would remain a mystery; but no matter what…this battle he would not lose.

But now that he was back in the lives of the Charmed Ones…it was going to be a long and bloody one…but then again when involved with this family, hadn't always been?

* * *

Okay that's the first part of the revision as you notice; tell me what you think of the revisions in your reviews. 


	2. Can't Keep a Good Demon Down

_Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed and Dragonlance. For the moment I am just borrowing the characters and names for my own twisted humor, and for someones own reading pleasure. So please...I beg...don't sue me._

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Chapter 2

Can't Keep a Good Demon Down

* * *

Piper was angry...not just her normal out of control anger. No this was scarier, this was her "When I get my hands on whoever pissed me off I'm gonna blow them up, piece by piece," mad. Leo shook his head slightly scared, and bruised; an intentionally but not really smart "I told you so," slip through, and Piper in earnest fashion had proceeded to blow him up. It was these precious family moments that made him happy he was once again part of the "dead." 

"Look Honey, calm down." Leo said, pulling Wyatt close to him; partly because he was his son, and partly because he knew Piper would never blow him up with Wyatt in his hand...or he hoped she wouldn't.

"I can't believe the bastard." Piper fumed, waving her hands to quickly blow up an innocent onion that just happened to be on the kitchen table.

"I spend all that time, I bring the bastard back...AND THE FIRST THING HE DOES IS DISAPPEAR. I SWEAR TO GOD LEO WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM COLE TURNER IS A DEAD MAN," another innocent vegetable met an unfortunate end.

"His already dead…technically," Leo whispered to Wyatt, who giggled; "Look, you put a heck of a load on him, I mean how many guys do you think, get vanquished, comes back to life with powers that make them invincible, get vanquished again...in another reality I might add; then proceed to find themselves in Limbo, only to be brought back and find out that their Son is still alive, and is quite possibly the most powerful force of magic in the world?"

"Shut up Leo" Piper growled, turning to face him the rage evident on her face "I didn't even get to tell him all that…." She hissed vehemently.

"Look I'm just saying; give him some time...besides," Leo chuckled. "The guy's been in limbo, he probably just needed a little relaxa..." Leo cut himself short when he noticed the look Piper shot him. Wyatt sensing the impending danger, orbed away.

This time it was an innocent tomato that received the wrath of Piper; sufficed to say...the kitchen was once again, in need of some remodeling.

* * *

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Simelan shouted his voice echoing through the cavern; he paced back and form, his mouth foaming and his hands tightened into fist. Nuitari stood leaning against a wall; staring his eyes impassive, and his mouth twisted into a smirk, noticing Simelan's eyes he quickly turned his lips into a straight line, and responded. 

"I did what I felt...I had to do. I wanted to see this woman; I wanted to know if I could do what said I would." His reply was simple; no one would notice the slight quiver in his voice, or the increase in his pitch.

Simelan stopped his pacing, "and can you?" he questioned tilting his head to the side; he knew that pitch, it was the same one he had used as a child when he would lie.

"Yes," a simple reply that could have frozen even the hottest fires of hell.

"Well then...that's...good." Simelan bit out.

"Am I dismissed?"

"Yes go..."

Simelan stared the retreating form, and felt a shutter travel up his spine. He had never met a demon like that, even his brief encounters with upper level demons like Belthazor, or the one time he caught a glance of The Source...none had ever held such calm...or utter...He just couldn't find the words to describe it.But he could tell, that boy…was going to be the death of him…he just knew it.

* * *

The warm sour taste flooded his senses, and like a condemn criminal Cole Turner, enjoyed what he was pretty sure would be his last shot of scotch. Piper was mad at him...he could tell; hell he could practically feel it leaking from her. A completely unsatisfactory side effect of the spell, she had brought him back with her own blood, and unexpectedly linked him to her. 

He let out a mirthless laugh, ironic that a blood to blood spell would actually help.

Yes the powers that be were intent on making his life a living hell. If there was one thing Cole knew about, it was hell and the realm of the living was the worst.

He tossed his head back, taking another shot, the liquid burned down in his throat. Yeah he knew he shouldn't be drinking. One could even go as far as to say that drinking was one of the reasons he was in the position he was now. But it had been a long day, and he needed to relax.

'Besides how many men got to cheat death two times,' a small voice in the back of his head spoke up. Great now he was hearing things.

Cole shook his head, he really shouldn't have left without telling Piper, but it was for the better, from what he could tell Phoebe had no idea about their...he halted himself. He tested the words out first, playing them over and over in his head...

"Our Son," He murmured; it felt right, so right, and he hated himself for that.

No...Not theirs, but his. His gaze hardened. He wasn't hers anymore, she had rejected the child, and it didn't matter who's blood that the child carried, the boy was his; she had lost her right.

"So what do you plan to do Mister Turner?" He said out loud and looked away from the stares that were shot at him. Oh, great now he was even talking to himself...

But he had his answer, he had given it last night; it was the best course of action he could take, for everyone. He would find the boy, take him far away; San Francisco was his home, but for his son he would leave. Besides Phoebe would never have to know, it would be easy.

Yeah that was the right plan. Maybe it was the scotch talking, but Cole felt extremely pleased with himself; so pleased that right then and there he decided to offer an offering to the bar room floor.

* * *

"Paige?" Henry called out his wife's name, noticing that she definitely wasn't in the dinner this afternoon. They were at her favorite restaurant, she had attempted to cook for him a couple of times; but though his wife could concoct various of complicated potions, had faced demonic creatures that not even the worst nightmares could come up with…all the culinary skills in the family apparently had gone to Piper. 

"Paige..."

"Huh?" She looked up, her eyes wide.

"I've been calling your name for the past," he glanced at his watch, "two minutes."

"Oh nothing just musing," she replied before her eyes shifted once again to the outside. "Is it because of what Leo told you...about Phoebe...and..." Henry cut himself short, knowing he was treading on unholy ground. That was one part of her sisters, that she never offered to explain and he did his best to make sure he didn't press her too hard for an explanation.

"Yeah...maybe...I don't..." Paige let out a gasp. Henry worried, stood up quickly as his wife bolted for the door. He wasn't sure what had caused her to move like that, but knowing Paige whatever it was...well it probably wasn't going to be good.

Honestly, Paige was having one of those days day, not the ones were anything happen; but, the ones when everything seem so right and you knew that it was going to get shot to hell. Now she knew why...Cole Turner was walking around...alive and well...and in what seemed a still slightly drunken stupor.

"Cole!?" She called out...half-hoping he wouldn't respond.

His unfocused eyes shifted to her, "shit," he muttered.

Yeah it was Cole.

"I thought you were dead." Paige whispered vehemently as she approached him.

"GOD...Paige." Cole responded holding his head. "Not so loud..."

"What are you doing here?" She whispered again.

"Piper...spell...brought me back."

Piper had talked about finding help for the past couple of days, and...Paige had hoped it was with some other source, like Darryl or something...not this kind of source…or ex-source.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe another side effect of the spell, but Cole felt rather happy to see Paige again...he thought about it again, and squeezed his eyes as another wave of pain burned through his head...yeah it was the alcohol.

"So Paige..." Cole slurred, his breathe reeking of alcohol. "How's everything...?"

She shook her head, as he knelt over and threw up all over her shoes.

Henry approached by her side and glanced down at the man, heaving on the floor.

"You know him." A rhetorical question; if she did he really didn't want the answer.

"Yeah," Paige responded...this was bad.

"Look I gotta go, okay. Sorry about dinner, we'll finish it later...promise." She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips, the turned dragging Cole upward.

Henry only nodded as she moved into a darkened alleyway, and orbed away; looking around he turned into the restaurant fully intending to finish his dinner. Yeah he loved his wife, and it was because of that he never questioned her life style...besides not getting involved kept him alive.

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 2 revision, nothing new really but I didn't have much for this chapter so hey…. 


	3. Avoidance

**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own the rights to Charmed, and obviously if I did I wouldn't have to write a fanfic, I could just make the show in my own image . . . but alas I cannot. So I'm writing this for all you guys for your reading pleasure, and as always for my sadistic glee._

Reviews.

_Alboppy: I love the start of this story. I hope that you continue with it since there are so many ways to go with it. Having ages the boy from 5 to 17 will they be able to undo the magic and return him to his natural age? Will Cole and Phoebe get back together? I see that Leo is still a whitelighter and Paige is married is Coop in the picture?_

_Please update soon_

Answer: I won't be putting in Coop, I really don't have that good of an insight into his character, I don't even know Henry's character that well, but better then I know Coop. As for the story well, just wait and see it's going to be an interesting twist I hope.

* * *

Chapter 3

Avoidance

* * *

"Cole! Piper . . . of all the help that you could possibly have gotten . . . you picked COLE!" Paige shook her head, trying to get a gist of what exactly her older sister had been thinking.

"As well, you did it in secret, you could've asked for my help. I know we dont want Phoebe to know just yet, but still . . . My God Piper . . . COLE! What if he had attacked you?"

Piper sighed, apparently being the older sister did not mean her choices were not to be challenged.

"He's not evil, Paige." She responded looking down.

"You're telling me . . . weren't you the one who tried to blow him up when I brought him here?" A small smile twirked at the corner of Paige's mouth; and she couldn't remembered how hard Leo had fought to restrain Pipers hand from decimating the rest of the house in her attempt to kill Cole.

"He had it coming..." Piper scowled. "But evil...he isn't...besides I owed him Paige." She turned around staring at Chris and Wyatt who were busy playing.

"He gave me back my family...The least I could do is give him a chance at one."

Paige thought about it a moment...the realization dawning on her face.

"The old friend, the one in limbo...It was Cole?"

Piper nodded, her gaze still not leaving the boys.

"That's how I know he isn't evil Paige; he was at peace there; not at all the Cole that we vanquished in that other universe."

Paige sat down, shaking her head; her day had been going so well too…o so well.

"Now what...?" She asked lifting her gaze, and Piper shrugged her shoulders.

"Now we find my Son." Cole stood at the staircase, his hair a mess, a five-o-clock shadow, and a certain weariness in his steps, but a look of utter determination shone on his face; a good hours rest had done him well.

"You mean the Sources..." Paige murmured and shrunk back a little when she noticed Pipers gaze...

"What? He was the Source, and now his kid is an all-powerful evil God." She said defending herself.

"Excuse me? Cole cut in his eyebrows raised as he looked from one sister to another.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you, before you shimmered your way out of here...but according to Leo, and the Elders. Your son, if he is truly alive...is the reincarnation of Nuitari..." Piper stopped, staring at Cole whose face suddenly paled.

"Cole...?"

"You said Nuitari...?

"Yeah...god of dark magic, or whatever. Supremely powerful, disappeared...yada yada yada..." Paige said shrugging her shoulders.

"And you two are just sitting here...?"

"What are you talking about...?"

Cole let out a sigh, the color rushing back to his cheeks; he rubbed his head tenderly, while hoping that the aching pain he was feeling would so go away.

"For centuries demons have been searching for the reincarnation of Nuitari. Upper level demons, and even some of the the lower ones braved being vanquished at a chance to gain a foothold in the underworld. Hell, the Source claimed lineage from him...and now your claiming that he has returned to this world...as my son...and all you are doing is SITTING DOWN!?" Cole practically roared.

"Hey watch it buddy." Piper said lifting a hand, a smirk on her face as she noticed Cole visibly flinch.

He grimaced; as usual they didn't understand the troubles they were in.

"If any demon gets a hand on him…" Cole shivered. "Then they'll convince him that evil is the right path…and if that happens nothing will be able to stand in his way…not even you.

Cole slumped into a chair, ignoring Paige's look.

"Damnit… He murmured.

"Watch it!" Piper said motioning to the kids.

"Wyatt honey, what don't you take Chris and go to your rooms okay?" The young boy pouted a little, but knew better then to argue. Nodding, Wyatt moved to Chris and orbed away.

"How do we find him then…I mean he's only what…five now, we don't even know were to start." Paige said, still staring at Cole.

"We can try scrying." Piper replied.

"Scrying…With what?" Paige let out a sigh. Her day was just getting worst and worst.

"Well were going to have to…" Cole stopped, and without a word disappeared.

A small vein popped in Pipers head. "DAMNIT, he did it again! CO…"

"I'm HOME!" Phoebe shouted

Pipers face blanched, as she swung around, struggling to put a smile on her face.

"Hey honey…"

"Did you find anything about the…"

"Nope, nothing at all, how could I find anything on my own? I mean…really I didn't have time…" Paige quickly slapped a hand over Pipers mouth.

"Uh…what Piper means is that, nothing new has come up."

"Well…okay, the Book of Shadows doesn't have anything either, I checked, so what do we do?" Phoebe glanced at her sisters, wondering what was going on. They were hiding something, after so many years she could tell the subtle hints…from Pipers babbling…okay maybe not so subtle…to Paige's eyes focusing at everything but her."

Sensing how uncomfortable Phoebe was, Paige quickly offered a reply.

"Piper and I will keep looking, and you go get some rest…I mean you look dead on your feet." Paige said offering a quick smile.

Piper nodded quickly, while pulling Paige's hand from her face.

"I'm fin…"

"Don't worry honey; you'll be the first one we call, if all hell breaks loose." Piper said.

Paige shot Piper a look, while Phoebe offered a weak smile.

"Alright then…I'll go get some rest, but only for a little while, when I wake up were going on that demons case full-blast." Phoebe said trying to stifle, a yawn while she climbed up the stairs.

Paige let a sigh out, and Piper relaxed.

"God that was close, and now we gotta find Cole…"

"I'm right here."

Cole shimmered into the room, his face void of any visible emotions.

"Geez, don't just disappear on us like that…" Paige said, stopping when she noticed Cole's eye's glued to the staircase.

"Don't even think about it." Paige's eyes flashed, and the anger was evident, in her voice.

His turned to her, and for a moment she thought he was about to argue, but his lips tightened into a thin line, and he looked away again.

"I wasn't…"

"Whatever…don't think that just because you have a child with her, that it gives you the right to just waltz back into her life…OUR lives."

"Paige…" Piper began.

"No he needs to hear this." She turned around and jabbed a finger into his face.

"Listen closely Cole, we're working together for now, after what is done is done, you leave; no if ands or buts. And stay away from Phoebe, We don't want you close to her, talking to her, or even…"

With a sigh, Cole suddenly shimmered away.

"That arsehole…." Paige bit out.

Pipers hand on her shoulder silenced her.

"Honey, just don't," she said shaking her head.

"Why not…" Paige countered, her face getting red.

"Because…maybe…maybe Phoebe isn't the only one trying to forget.

Piper turned around, leaving Paige standing.

* * *

Piper had never liked the idea of having a demon in the family, but…Cole had fought for Phoebe, just as Leo had fought for her. So in the end she had decided it wasn't her place to decide. Now though, things were different, she could understand Paige's anger, yet Cole's reaction was different.

They were connected, she could tell he knew that, and there was no way he could hide his emotions from her, no matter how deep, but she wasn't feeling anything, even when he had saw Phoebe, nothing had gone through. When she had met him again in Limbo, he had seemed confidant, relaxed; a man who was making due with what he had, the Cole she knew. Not the deranged madman that had had brought his own demised.

But the guilt was there; not from the second vanquishing…it hadn't been her that she could at least justify. The first time around though, ate at her. Because she hadn't seen it, the clues that were all over the place, the clues that she could have used before it was too late; she had destroyed a man that was supposed to be family, a man who she had known for almost two years at the time, and she had not been able to tell a single thing, all the people who loved him; all except Paige.

Now here he was, and she was desperately trying to read the signs, to see what about him was so different were the coldness in his heart grew from.

"Limbo has a tendency to that to a person." Cole said his body leaned against the kitchen counter, stirring a cup of coffee. His left hand was rested against his chin.

"I've never known you to be one to run from a fight." She moved to his side.

"Live and let live…" He smiled.

Piper stood there quite for awhile, busying herself with random things in the kitchen. Cole didn't seem to mind; instead the smile remained plastered on his face. Piper tried again to tap into his emotions, but once again got nothing, except a bit of amusement at the attempt.

"You're going to have to face her…and soon Cole. I know what Paige said, but you can't keep hiding every time she shows up."

"I don't plan too…and I'm not hiding…I'm just avoiding an issue." The smile disappeared and a grim expression took place on his face.

"An issue that concerns both of you…it takes two to make a child Cole."

His face reddened. "I am well aware of that Piper."

"I don't mean that, I meant that if we do find him, Phoebe has the right to know."

"She gave up on him…on us. She doesn't need to know anything." He turned around his eyes flashing. "When we find him… I leave, and we never see each other again…you don't contact me, and I don't contact you. I want him to have at least some semblance of a normal life…something some of us never really got." He stood up, and she could tell he was about to shimmer away.

"What will you do when he asks about his mother? Or why he can do things that other kids can't? You can't give him a normal life Cole; you of all people should know that…but at least give him a chance at a family."

He barked out a laugh.

"If I didn't know better Piper…I would say you were trying to get me and Phoebe together again."

Piper scowled, and Cole laughed louder.

"Laugh if you want…but if there was something I've learned over the years is that…fate has a way of biting the best laid plans in the ass…something's are meant to be Cole…no matter how hard you try to deny them."

He moved close to her, and stuck his face in hers, his eyebrows creased, and his temper flared.

"Then I'll just have to try harder now won't I!"

Piper wasn't the list bit fazed, instead she stared defiantly back.

"You can try all you want..." She bit out through clenched teeth "But remember this time, you and Phoebe aren't the only ones whose lives are on the line." She shrugged her shoulders, moving to leave.

"Do you think it will help lessen the guilt?" he whispered, his eyes watching her intently, "this connection is a two way street Piper, don't think I can't pick up what your feeling as well."

"I'm going to bed…Don't know were your staying, but if you plan on staying here…well the couch is opened for you." She said ignoring the question, and exited the kitchen.

* * *

She was right…he knew she was right, but he would be damned if he admitted. What had happened happened, and he would do all in his power to make sure it didn't again. Despite everything, Phoebe had taught him a lesson, one that he had tried to keep her from learning. Sometimes…love wasn't enough…no matter how much it was worth fighting for.

And he knew how much it was worth, how much suffering that he had endured, all in the name of that one emotion; how much he would suffer.

"I set the couch for you…get some sleep...worrying about it now won't help." Piper said poking her head into the kitchen.

"All-knowing bi…" Cole's sentence was cut short, by Piper's lifting hands.

Cole shut up quickly…Piper probably couldn't kill him, but being blown to pieces…well it hurt…a lot.

"Goodnight…Cole."

He grimaced…

"Goodnight Piper."

* * *

**Well that is Chapter 3…revised just grammatical errors fixed, a little bit addition to the conversations, but not much.  
**


	4. Connections

Disclaimer: _I'm pretty sure you guys know the drill now…but just incase if you don't…well…I DON'T OWN CHARMED…or Dragon Lance, or any of the other scenarios that I may use, so please I beg if you have any soul…don't sue me._

**Review reaction: Thanks for those who have reviewed my story. It's greatly appreciated, for those of you reading it in secret, thanks as well. Though if you like it, PLEASE leave a review. Anyway thanks to you guys it's been a great inspiration for me, remember if you have ideas don't be afraid to leave them in your reviews as well.**

**As of now I'm just taking it slow, trying to get a point of view from each character, don't worry magic is going to start playing its role. As for Cole and Phoebe…who knows they might end up together or they might not, depends on what scene plays well in my head. **

**So keep reading my fic, and we'll see together.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Connections**

* * *

"I don't believe this Elise…" Phoebe fumed. Elise shrugged her shoulders, busy buttering a bagel, it wasn't a surprise really. She had expected Phoebe to react negatively to the news. If she had been in the position, she probably would've done the same thing.

"Well that's how things are…you gotta go with the flow as they say." Elise shrugged again, and returned to her ever important bagel.

"I don't need another ghost writer, Elise. You remember Leslie right? You remember how that worked out?"

"Of course I REMEMBER Leslie…who didn't remember Leslie?"

A small smile appeared on Elise lips as she took a bite into the bagel, and moved along to leave the room.

"That's not what I meant; we didn't get along so what makes you think I'm gonna get along with this new one as well?" Phoebe said, stalking after her boss, several of the employees, taking the time to glance over.

By now everyone knew about Phoebe's constant battles with Elise, and heads were poking out; all in the hope that today would be the day that the big one finally hit.

"Honestly I don't need another ghost writer; heck my writing has gotten better. I've also definitely connected with my readers on a deeper level."

Elise let a sigh loose.

"One Phoebe, I never said your writing wasn't getting better; and two…who said anything about a ghost writer."

Phoebe stopped, and looked at Elise. Something was wrong, Phoebe knew that look, or lack of. Elise was avoiding an issue of something very important.

"Elise…"

"What?'

"What aren't you telling me?"

Elise let out another sigh, it was damn near impossible to hide anything from Phoebe, sometimes she wondered if the girl could read her mind.

"Your not getting a ghost writer…rather your getting a…how would I put it…a partner."

"WHAT?" Phoebe exploded; Elise shook her head, and covered her ears.

"You heard it; the higher ups feel that you need a balancing agent, someone to fit logic with your emotions."

"…fit logic…Oh God." Phoebe eyes widened with realization.

"It's a guy isn't it?"

Elise simply nodded.

"That is so sexist, you know that don't you Elise?"

"Well what can I say, they feel that your writing has been focusing too much on emotions and not enough guys are getting hooked."

"So they send in their cavalry?" Phoebe shook her head. Lately her days and nights have been getting worst. Her headaches, and stomachaches, didn't help much either.

"What did Jason have to say about it?"

Maybe he didn't know about it, and if she could get in contact with him…if he would take her calls. Perhaps she could convince him that she didn't need some guy looking over her shoulder.

Elise looked away again…

"He was actually the one who recommended it."

"Ass…"

She might as well accept it, fighting with the big bosses, especially in these types of scenarios. Nothing good would come out of it.

"So when do I meet him?"

"Actually…" Elise looked up. "Here he comes right now."

Phoebe turned around…

"Where is he?"

Elise pointed at a young man, approaching them. Phoebe stared; brown curly short cropped hair, blue eyes that seemed to reflect light and a heart shaped face' her heart beat sped up as a feeling of familiarity ate away at her; there was something about him that she just couldn't put her fingers on; though the real kicker was the fact that he obviously could not be younger then 17.

"Elise…" Phoebe drew out her name. "Was there something you forgot to tell me?"

A smile crossed her lips, and at that moment Elise was more demonic looking then any demon Phoebe had ever encountered.

"Besides, that fact that he's only 17?" The grin spread. "Nope; nothing at all."

Elise couldn't resist whispering into her ear. For a moment Phoebe sputtered an angry remark, but Elise simply laughed. There were times, in a person's life, when they get a chance to sit back, and watch the priceless reactions, of the people around them. For Elise…this was one of those times. Far be it for her not to enjoy it.

* * *

They had been sitting there for the past hour not saying a word, working. Not that Phoebe minded terribly, but one can only take so much silence. But her new "partner" wasn't the talking type…actually he didn't seem like the anything type. For a 17 year old kid, he wasn't obnoxious, or rude, or even the slightest bit…of a teenager.

She remembered herself at that age; the hormones the outrageous amount of trouble that she got into; right now he should be at school, learning, talking to girls; not giving advice, to people who could probably be his parents. She looked up and noticed him staring at her blue eyes exploring…those eyes…were had she seen eyes like that before?

"Are you alright?"

His voice was soft; and that surprised her, she had expected him to have a deeper one or one that was very rough, especially from the way his face seemed to remain in a perpetual scowl. She noticed that he was still staring, apparently waiting for an answer.

"I'm fine…just thinking."

"I understand if you don't feel comfortable, I actually was rather worried myself."

The look on her face was enough to get a small smile to break on his lips, and he let out a laugh. Again, that sense of familiarity pulled at her heart, and sharp pain cleaved through her stomach.

"What were you worried about?"

He looked surprised, and cocked his head to the side.

"You're kidding right? Your Phoebe Halliwell…of "Ask Phoebe"…Your famous, to actually get a chance to work with you…well lets just say I know people who would sell their own mothers soul for an opportunity like this."

"Really?" She knew she was popular with adults, but with teenagers; it never really hit her.

"Well…no…but they would come pretty close though." He said honestly, noting the shift in her body; he knew he had stumbled unto very slippery ground and her mouth opened as if she was going to say something bitter.

"Look, how about we get to know each other bett…"

"Aren't you a little too young to be askin' me out for a date?"

"No" He flailed his hands about, his face reddening. "That's not what I meant, things like…you know interests, and stuff like that, things that would make us more comfortable working together."

"Well a good start would be if you gave me your name." Realizing that, she really didn't know it, Elise hadn't bothered to say anything, and he hadn't bothered to offer it.

"Coleridge Beals."

"What?" Phoebe almost choked, and he looked at her nodding rather sympathetically.

"Coleridge…yeah I know strange name to give to your kid…last name doesn't help either." He shrugged his shoulders helpless, "anyway how about you, any family?"

"Two sisters and a brother in law…" She stared at him closely…he couldn't be, there was a resemblance. "Your parents gave you that name?" Phoebe questioned.

"My adoptive parents…I never knew my real parents." A small smile once again crossed his face. "I always figured they didn't want me…" He shrugged.

Phoebe's stomach churned, accompanied by the same sharp pain.

"I'm sure that's not the truth, I'm pretty sure your mother wanted to keep you, but sometimes things…"

He let out a bitter laugh; "My mom had tried to kill me while I was still in the womb," he explained and again that smile crossed his face; Phoebe's stomach churned, and her blood boiled. She closed her eyes as memories hit her over and over; as Coleridge stared studying her reaction, he calmly looked away.

"I guess she must've thought I was evil or something," A chocked sound escaped Phoebe's lips, and he stared at her strangely as she tried to gather her wits.

"You okay," he whispered reaching out to her, but pulled his hand away when he saw her flinched.

"I'm alright," she responded her voice tight and feverish, "I think we should get started."

He nodded apologetically, and turned his attention to the letters; but he could feel her gaze on him, searching attempting to understand and deep inside. He laughed.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Cole looked up, his eyes focusing on Leo who stood in front of him.

"Tired, old, and cold." He shrugged. "Nothing I'm not used too."

"I know the feeling." Leo sat down, and a few minutes of awkward silence stretched between the two.

They had never been the best of friends, but as time had past, Leo had grown to trust Cole, see him even as a part of the family. He had to admit that deep down inside it had hurt him to see a man that he had grown to respect, descend into madness the way Cole had.

"So…limbo huh…guess you got lucky."

"If that's what you consider luck."

"Well you did try to change realities."

"I know…and I shouldn't exist in any plane and all that crap."

"But here you are…"

"Is there a point to this conversation Leo?"

"I'm just saying…something had to tie you into this world."

"Uh-huh."

"Ever wonder what that thing was?" Leo pressed

"Nope," Cole shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to sulking.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Its probably pretty big though…ya know something strong."

"Yeah, probably is."

"Maybe…love…" Leo looked up, avoiding Cole's eyes, expecting a punch to the jaw.

Instead he heard laughter, it was different though. He had never really heard Cole laugh so calmly, it was the laugh of a man who had seen the pains of life, and had accepted them.

"Piper put you up to this?"

Leo nodded, and Cole continued to laugh.

"You know…I would think Piper would be the one to hate me the most…after everything…"

"Well you did help her."

"Part of the job, when you're stuck in limbo nothing better to do but help the lost souls."

"Well that's what she is doing with you, helping an innocent."

"I don't think I qualify as an innocent Leo."

"It's not like your evil."

"I'm not good either."

"But you can try…" Leo looked away; Cole watched with mild amusement as Leo's eyes became unfocused.

"It's not smart to live in the past Leo."

Again silenced stretched between them.

"I understand a little better now Cole…probably better then any of the sisters, the temptations, what power can do to you…and what one will do to protect someone they love."

"I'm sure you do."

"I'm serious…sometimes you're willing to betray everything you have known…to protect that one person…no matter what the consequences will be."

"The Avatars."

Leo nodded, when he had joined the collective he had been made aware of Cole's decision, and what had brought his ultimate demise.

"Yeah, but as I said, I understand; the avatars have a way of bringing out the worst in you, no matter how strong you are, no one…nothing is immune to their pull."

Cole shook his head, "you still don't understand do you? The difference between why I did what I did, and why you did?" Cole stood up; he had no time to spend explaining things to white lighters.

"I would like to know…Cole. Because I honestly can't tell, if there even was; we both did it out of love, you can't deny that."

Cole stopped his shoulders shaking from laughter at the question, it definitely wasn't the response he had expected; he turned around, a smile on his face, that same smile that Leo recognized well. It was the same one that Phoebe wore every morning, the smile of a person who had been defeated, and wasn't willing to fight anymore.

"Out of love," Cole said coldly his eyes glazing over.

"You had love to fight for Leo…I had nothing." Leo opened his mouth but Cole cut him short. "You see Leo; in the end all that truly mattered was how much it was really worth." Cole smiled bitterly, "and apparently mine wasn't worth much."

"That's not true…you know it." Leo responded shaking his head.

"Doesn't really matter if I know it, it takes two and apparently I was just the one."

"One," Leo stared at Cole drawing out the implication, "you're saying you don't love her anymore."

Cole remained silent wondering why exactly he was standing there having this conversation; he could just shimmer away and disappear, ignore the whole thing and run…just like she would run his mind whispered, and his blood ran cold.

"No Leo, I don't love her. How could I after everything." A statement not a question.

"She was doing her job Cole."

"And I should've done mine." He shot back coldly.

Leo looked shocked, "you don't mean that."

"The past is in the past Leo," Cole replied.

"Forget the past and you'll repeat it,"

Cole laughed, and raised his eyebrows, "Trust me Leo, there's no part of my past that I don't want to repeat…the good or the bad."

"What qualified as good," Leo pressed.

"Sure as hell wasn't the time I spent here."

Leo pity turned into anger, as he stared at Cole; did he dare deny that he had admire the man no; but that man was gone replaced by nothing but a mere shell, and Leo felt anger not only at Cole, but at the whole universe.

"Snap out of your self-pity Cole, you're not the only one who suffered. Phoebe suffered, Piper, Me, Paige, we all suffered as well. You were family Cole and what you did hurt everybody."

"WHAT I DID, tell me Leo what did I do? Besides try to protect every single one of you; taking the Hollow, something that was apparently incredibly stupid; The Source possessing me; do you know how many times I stopped the Source from killing you; the torture he imposed on me simply for resisting him? Simply being in the same room with the four of you, listening to you talk I could feel his hatred; and it hurt because I could feel him slowly destroying everything I loved, that was part of the torture; it wasn't that he could've done it quicker, but because of my resistance he took his time. Even in the end I did my best, with the wizard attempting to give up my powers, and the vanquishing," The look on Leo's face would've have made Cole laugh. "I was the Source of All Evil Leo; do you honestly think the same vanquishing would've of work twice? He already had a potion planned to protect him from the same spell. I stopped him."

"You know what was the funniest part, that I believed that you would've found a way to save me, that Phoebe was too good, too smart to be fooled by the Source for long," Cole shook his head. "Looks like you really did marry the smart one in the family Leo."

"That doesn't cover what you did when you came out of the Wasteland, those innocents you killed,"

"I seem to remember you killing two elders, forces of Good."

"Gideon was misguided," Leo responded quickly, his eyes staring at Cole's."

"And Zolo was he misguided as well?" Cole smiled, "limbo stretches farther then many think. I saw Leo, I saw you kill him; I saw how he struggled, screamed your name and you in just continued."

"I was…." Leo struggled with words, "I wasn't myself, and there were other forces." He sunk back to the chair, "See Leo…me and you, were not so different now are we?" Cole's words flowed to him, "but in the end what truly mattered was that you still cared."

He turned to the kitchen and Leo looked up.

"And I didn't."

* * *

**_Well that's Chapter 4…revised and harsher._**


	5. Of Moons and Stars

_Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, or anything else really, except for this fan fiction which I am writing for others to enjoy._

_Thanks for all those who have reviewed lately, it's been greatly enjoyed, and I love the motivation. If you have questions I have no problems answering them, so don't worry to ask._

* * *

Chapter 5 

Of Moons and Stars.

* * *

"So…?" She leaned in closer, her brown eyes digging into his soul. Damn her, he could deny almost all of them anything…even Phoebe…but never Piper, with those big brown eyes that seemed to dig into your soul, until she found what she needed. 

"So…what?" He questioned, moving to busy himself with several dirty dishes that were happening to occupy the sink at that exact moment.

"Are you gonna tell her?" He hadn't thought it was possible, but somehow she pulled it off, those big brown eyes managed to get even bigger.

"Well…I've thought about it." He looked up, his face scrunched into a look of utter commitment.

"And…" Piper leaned in closer, drawing the word out.

She was putting her all into this one, no doubt about it; she batted her eye's innocently, and made little tears pool into the corners, and gave him that extremely infectious smile of hers.

A lesser man would've crumbled on the spot, but this was Cole. Once known as Belthazor Soldier of Fortune, at one point The Source of All Evil, an Avatar, and a completely overall badass, no amount of deer eyes were gonna make him change his mind.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, and winced slightly. He had to admit though…she was good.

He sighed deeply…His face relaxing…"Nope."

Cole turned his attention back to dishes, and whistled a tune that sounded awfully like 'can't touch this'.

Piper threw her hands up.

"You pompous, selfish, son of a…"

"Yes, yes I know." Cole stopped whistling, and offered her a smile, that was obviously a failed attempt to hide the smirk that was threatening to explode across his face.

"And, you suck at doing dishes." Piper grumbled while pushing him out the way. She made a face at the grime that was still stuck to the dish, despite the efforts Cole had made.

"Not really my fault, not like they have chefs in the Underworld, most upper level demons don't need to eat, and if they do…its usually above ground. Besides…" He shrugged, "most of the foods eaten by the lower level demons are usually still kickin' and screamin'.

He smirked as Pipers face turned slightly green.

"Well…you better tell her soon."

"Tell who?"

"PHOEBE!"

He grinned again, and looked away when she lifted her hands.

"Well, I won't be dealing with her anytime soon." He pulled away as Piper frantically scrubbed away, at the dishes.

"Sooner then you think; don't think you're lucky just cause she doesn't know we brought you back."

"You brought me back…" Cole corrected.

Piper let out a small humph and went back to the dishes.

"I've been staying her for too long anyway, I need to get out, and start lookin' for my son." Piper noticed Cole's face glow slightly when he said that last part.

She bit back a smile. "Don't you mean you and Phoebe's Son?"

It was Cole's turn to utter a small humph as he shimmered away.

"If I didn't know better I would say that you actually like having Cole around." Leo moved into the kitchen, eying his wife.

"Well…when he was around he kept things interesting."

"You were trying to get Cole to fall back in love with Phoebe." Leo stated coming up behind her. He brushed her shoulder slightly, and pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Well, it's not like he ever fell out of it…" She stated flatly.

"You seem so sure…"

"You know I'm always right…"

"Well Cole doesn't seem to think you are."

"And you know Cole; he would sooner die, then ever admit something."

"I'm not so sure this time, and even so…what about Phoebe, what tells you she still loves him?" He nibbled a little at her ear.

"Love like theirs doesn't just go away Leo…" She turned around and planted a kiss on his lips.

"You and I should both know." Piper murmured against his lips

He smiled as he returned the kiss.

* * *

"That seems to cover everything." His voice cut through the silence, and he rubbed his face slowly as if trying to wake up. 

Phoebe stretched her arms behind her back, and let out a huge yawn. She couldn't tell what was wrong with her lately, the stomach pains, the headaches and the feeling of nausea and tiredness. For a moment it crossed her mind that she might be pregnant, but it wasn't possible, Coop had left months ago, and everything had been fine with her before that.

"Phoebe…"

His voice brought her back to the realm of the living, as she notice those pale eyes staring at her…not pale…was she imagining things or were they a little bit brighter then before?

"Yeah?"

"So what do you think?"

"You did well…."

She wasn't lying either, the boy was good; she felt that his logic was a little too cut and dry, but overall, every point that he presented made sense.

"Thank you…" He turned his head looking up to the clock. "I think its time I get going." He settled his hand on her shoulder, and squeezed a little as he felt her tense under his hand.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine Cole…Coleridge…" Phoebe shook her head slowly.

"If your more comfortable, I don't mind you calling me Cole, I'm sure Coleridge is one hell of a mouthful." He turned away rubbing the back of his neck.

"See you tomorrow then…"

"Bye…Cole."

He was right, no matter how much she denied it; she had no problem calling him Cole. It just rolled off her tongue, that was were the familiarity was stemming from, he reminded her of him, his walk, smile, voice, it all screamed Cole.

She shook her head again, now wasn't the time…she had more important things to deal with, like making sure that the premonition that she had just had, didn't come true.

* * *

He stepped outside, behind the building, looking around to make sure no one was watching and closed his eyes, letting the transformation occur. 

Nuitari grunted slightly, as he felt pain shoot up his back, his hair lengthened, and his cheeks hollowed in deeper, bones rearranged themselves, some lengthening others shortening. His body slimmed, and the pain shot up even more, he fell to his knees clutching his stomach, as the magic boiled in his veins trying to regain some semblance of composure.

A fit of coughs took over his body, and flecks of blood flew from his mouth.

He hadn't thought it would be so much trouble, bringing up his human side. He had miscalculated the emotions that had come with the form, they were more powerful then he had expected, and his soul had felt as if it was literally being torn in two. The magic as well couldn't be supported in such a form either; instead of control all he had felt was as if the magic was just waiting to explode out of him.

He moved slightly, but was forced to stop as another fit of coughing took over his body, this time more blood covered the ground.

"I told you it was a bad idea." Simelan shouted, blinking to the back alley.

"Now look at you…I swear, you children today don't listen, running off doing things you way, you should've listened to me you idiot."

"**NOT NOW SIMELAN**!" His voice echoed through the alley, and once again another coughing fit took over his body.

"Don't give me that. Your human form and this form are not the same, the amount of magic that you have can't be suppressed, not even by you. You could've ruined everything in there…" Simelan shook his head.

"In that form, you're a walking bomb, just waiting to be set off, you need better control of your emotions."

"I know…"

"Do you…cause I'm not so sure you do?"

"If…what we…you have planned is to work…I will need this form." Nuitari said, leaning slightly against the building wall, each intake of breath making his chest burn.

Simelan stared at him. "You'll die then."

"I'll take her with me."

"No…you won't…I need you alive, and we need them alive…."

Simelan stared at him, shaking his head…this kid was sick…not just physically sick, but mentally sick as well…what had he gotten himself into?

His mom had been right; better to leave upper level dealings to upper level demons, but now he was stuck…with a psychopath that actually wanted to kill his own mother…

Simelan let out a sigh.

"I'm going back…you should come too."

"No…I sent her a premonition, I need to prepare."

"She saw you like this?" Simelan's eyes widened in alarm.

"Of course not." Nuitari sneered. "As the other form…she's going to come to my aid, and…we'll take it from there."

"Humph…well I hope you know what your doing…as for me…I'm going home, when the time comes contact me." He blinked out.

"When the time comes…" Nuitari whispered.

Again the coughing fits returned, he wiped his mouth with his hand, but stopped, as he felt pressure rise in his throat. The pressure increased until the coughing continued again, harder this time, and more blood pushed up…along with something else.

He stared at it on the ground, pulsing black, steam waffed from its spot on the ground…it wasn't blood…he wasn't sure what it was…what he did know though was he had just coughed up a part of himself…and for the first time...he felt fear.

* * *

"Okay…so let me get this straight…he tried to change reality, failed, wasn't supposed to exist, but now he does, and he has a child with your sister…" Henry took a breath. "As well as that you think, he still loves her, and is out to ruin her life?" 

"Yep."

Henry shook his head, "any more family secrets I should know about?"

Paige smirked and punched him lightly on the arm.

He grinned grabbing her, and pulling her to the couch.

"So…Paige Mitchell…what is your opinion on the whole thing?"

"What opinion? I hate the guy nothing too it…"

Henry stared…maybe they had gotten married quickly, but he knew his wife, and he knew her well.

"You're lying."

"No I'm not…" Paige avoided his eye's glancing at the clock. It was a habit of hers, she could never stare a person who she was lying to in the face. She had no idea she did it but those around her knew.

"Oh come on Paige…when was the last time you saw him?"

She shrugged her shoulders…

"Three years maybe, even more."

"And you're telling me that you haven't let go after all this time?"

"He targeted me Henry, not anyone else, but me…I can't forgive that."

"Was that when he was insane? Or the Source of All Evil?"

"Does it matter?"

"In a way, either way it wasn't like he was in the right frame of mind…besides he was doing it all for your sister wasn't he? He loved her, you said so yourself."

"So he showed it by trying to turn her evil?" Paige slapped Henry's chest, "that's a strange way to show your love."

"Would've you have preferred he killed her?"

"OF Course not…"

"Well if he was The Source, isn't that what he was supposed to do?"  
Paige looked at him sternly, "why are you defending the guy, you don't even know him!?"

"Because…" Henry stared into her eye's "he was in love, and people do crazy things when they are…" He looked away.

"I know…and that's why I'm here to make sure you never do." She smiled and pulled him closer, setting a kiss on his lips.

"Maybe your right…maybe I don't hate they guy." She added as an afterthought.

"Of course I'm right…how can you hate anyone Paige." The gentle teasing in his voice, earned him another slap on the chest.

"But Phoebe does…and when she founds out what Piper has done…"

"Maybe she doesn't hate him either…"

"No way…uh uh…" But who was she kidding, the most times she had seen Phoebe truly happy, had been with Jason, Drake, and Coop…all of whom had had a very strange resemblance to Cole.

"Well now is not the time to worry about it…I'm pretty sure we have other things to work on…" A sly smile crossed his lips, and Paige looked back at him batting her eyebrows.

"Mr. Mitchell…if I didn't know better I would think you were trying to seduce me?"

"Then you would be right…Mrs. Mitchell."

He leaned in closer, and she put her hands around his neck, their lips meeting.

* * *

"It's cold." Piper muttered unhappily. 

"Shh."

"Don't shush me Phoebe; we've been following the kid for days…"

"I know, but my premonitions don't usually come with watches."

"Yeah well, nothings happened. You know the future isn't written in stone, maybe what was supposed to happen won't?"

"You don't believe that for a second."

Piper shrugged her shoulders.

"He's my innocent Piper…wish he wasn't…but he is. As well if you haven't noticed, the fact that there is such huge demonic activity now may point to something big happening."

"Know what I've noticed besides your obvious dislike of him…you haven't said his name once."

"It's not important."

"Right…"

Silence stretched between them, as the followed the kid. So far, nothing had happened over the past days, rather he just spent his time at home, and at work.

She had managed to get a glimpse at his parents once; nothing strange about them… maybe the kid was a demon? Piper smirked at that, seriously though; seventeen year olds rarely spent their time worrying about other people's problems. This kid was writing advice columns.

Though Piper knew better to just ignore Phoebe's premonitions, of course they weren't always all correct, as her mind wandered to the half-demon residing at their home.

Cole still hadn't confronted Phoebe, and somehow he had managed for the past seven days to avoid her like the plague. How he kept it up, Piper would never know, but he was doing well. It was if he had some sort of psychic link, every time Phoebe, would pop up, Cole would vanish within a blink of an eye.

He cleaned up after himself, showed up after Phoebe left for work to eat, and at nights only until she was in bed, did he appear to sleep, and in the morning he was gone, as if he had never been in the house.

Piper had teased him about it, complaining about how there were no good demons around anymore; since apparently all of them were scared of 5'6" a little over a 100 pound witches. Even Paige had joined in.

It was strange, the animosity between the two was still apparent, but for a moment Piper felt like they were a family again….

"Piper."

"Huh?" She looked at Phoebe, who was crouching behind a building wall.

"He's on the move again."

So he was…she watched him walk into an alley…

"Why is it always an alley?"

"What?" Phoebe asked obviously distracted, as the followed after him

"Its night time." Piper indicated to the stars, and the pale moon in the sky.

"I can tell."

"Who goes, into a dark alley, at night time…and doesn't expect to find trouble?"

"An innocent person, looking for a short cut home." Phoebe stated back, her eyes still locked on the young man.

"Or an idiot…" Piper muttered.

"Shh…."

Phoebe turned her attention to Col…Coleridge her mind shouted back. He stopped looking around, obviously sensing something wrong, instead he shrugged his shoulders, and continued to move.

"Phoebe…"

"What?"

"I think we have a problem…."

"Yeah, I know it's late, but still."

"No…not that kind of problem."

Phoebe turned around, and noticed the demons that were crawling from the top of the buildings…or maybe they weren't demons.

Neither sister had ever seen creatures like that before; lean sleek bodies, covered in what seemed like black fur, tentacles grew from their heads, wrapping around the bodies. The elongated faces held four bulging red eyes, and two rows of sharp serrated teeth growing from the roofs of their mouths shown in the moonlight.

"Oh crap."

"Who you tellin'."

"What are they?" Phoebe asked entranced as each one crawled slowly down, their bodies moving like mercury. They had him surrounded, and Coleridge was backed up against the wall, fear written on his face. Just like her premonition, this was what had scared him, these…creatures…vile, twisted…but to her they were…beautiful, oh so beautiful.

Piper nudged her sister, but Phoebe's body wouldn't responded, as if she was glued in place.

"I don't know, but I think your innocent is about to find out."

Piper motioned her hand, expecting the creature that was lunging at the boy to explode. Instead, it froze in place.

"Okay…not all what I had planned…"

"Well…I think you need to fix it." Phoebe said nervously

The other creatures had noticed their frozen comrade, and turned, snarls echoing through the night.

"Piper…" Phoebe motioned to her sister.

"Don't PIPER me, didn't you bring a potion?"

"I told you I didn't know what trouble it was, the only thing I saw in the premonition was his face."

The creatures moved even closer.

"Well freeze them or something."

"What do you think I've been doing, just throwing my hands outwards for dramatic effect?" Piper squealed.

"Phoebe?" The soft voice cut through the air

"Oh no."

"Phoebe is that you?" He moved a little bit from his corner.

"Stay where you are…"

"It is you…what's going…" His sentence was cut short by a tentacle throwing him against the far wall.

"COLE!"

"COLE?" Piper responded.

The creatures stopped moving, each looking at the other.

"What are they doing?" Piper asked.

But Phoebe wasn't paying attention, instead her eyes were glued at the young man slumped against the wall.

'_God please let him be alive.'_

A piercing howl shook her concentration, and for a moment pain shot through her stomach; wave after wave of nausea flew through her body, and she found herself doubling over gasping desperately for air.

"Pheebs…honey its okay…they're gone…" Pipers calming voice woke her up.

"Is he okay…?" She instantly asked, her eyes once again finding themselves pinned to the kid.

"Yeah he's fine…" Piper said helping her stand.

Phoebe headed in his direction, albeit shakily, her breath still coming out in short gasps.

Piper came up behind her, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder, to help steady her.

"So…Cole huh…."

"Yeah…that's his name…."

"So now what?" Piper was desperately trying to avoid an issue.

"We take him home." Phoebe responded.

They each stared down at the young man at their feet, so wrapped up in their thoughts, that they did notice the stars that blinked out of existence, or the new forming darkness that was filling their places.

* * *

_Okay thats chapter 5 as you guys see things are starting to wrap up nicely, this chapter was a little longer then usual as well. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy it, don't forget to leave a review, and if you know anyone who likes Charmed...some advertising would be nice ;).  
_


	6. Father and Son

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed; you guys should know the drill by now.

Reviews: I want to say thank you for all the review I've gotten, greatly appreciated, and they make me actually want to keep writing this story….so thanks everyone thanks so much.

Chapter 6: Father…No I don't have a father.

"Do you know what they were?" Paige asked, staring at Piper, who was sitting across from her.

"Nope…Phoebe's looking them up in the book right now." Piper let out a sigh, "I'm still confused why I couldn't blow them up."

"Are you sure that's what you wanted to do?"

"Yes…no…maybe…I honestly don't know." Piper sighed, "I thought about blowing it up, but even as the thought went through my mind…the magic was just different…it felt…I don't know…."

"Wrong…." Paige replied looking at her.

"Yeah…how'd ya know?"

"I've felt it, couple of days ago…I couldn't even orb to the right places for awhile."

"And you didn't tell us?"

"I didn't think it was that important…I thought it was just stressing due to…some other things…." Paige's eyes looked away…Piper leaned in closer….

"Paige…."

"You know what's interesting…that kid…Cole…what do you think the odds are."

Piper stared at her sister, Paige had changed the subject very quickly….perhaps it would be better if she didn't press the issue…but what would be the point of being a big sister if she couldn't force her sister to tell her things?

"Paige..." Piper raised an eyebrow.

"I mean really; she sure knows how to pick them."

"He's only seventeen…and now…what aren't you telling me."

Once again Paige looked away….

"Just that I think…I'm…."

"So what's going on?" Cole shimmered into the room. Paige let out a sigh, she couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy to see Cole…hell if even such a time existed.

Piper glared at Paige, who merely shrugged, and turned her attention to Cole.

"Demon attack, strange ones…wolfish in build, four eyes, and tentacles growing from their head…ever heard of them?"

Cole shrugged, "haven't heard anything about them, the Underworlds been pretty calm."

"You sure that's smart, snooping in the Underworld like that?" Paige asked. Maybe he was still drunk, because he would have swore he heard a note of concern in her voice.

"I've stuck to lower demons, those who still remember my name enough to be scared…don't worry none of the upper levels know I'm back."

"Well let's keep it that way, last thing we need is demons popping up, trying to get you back on their side."

Ahh there was the Paige he knew….

"Don't really have much of a plan too anyway…."

"So; you haven't managed to get any information about him?" Piper asked? Diverting the conversation before a fight would break out between the two.

"No nothing…I'm starting to think…." Cole shook his head, and looked away. Piper noticed his eyes widen, and he disappeared.

"Chicken." Paige said shaking her head.

"Who's a chicken?" Phoebe's voice echoed through the kitchen.

"Piper…for not umm…taking out the garbage." Paige finished lamely.

"Right…."

"Is he still asleep?" Phoebe asked turning her attention to Piper.

"Yeah, the kids are in there with him right now actually."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"Well Wyatt's with Chris and you know any problems that come up, those two could pretty much take care of themselves." Paige said.

The others nodded.

"Now back to our little conversation." Piper said staring at Paige.

"What conversation?" Phoebe stared at her sisters.

"Oh Paige was just going to tell me why she couldn't orb were she wanted to."

"No I wasn't…I was just going to mention something that Piper had to tell you…about a certain person." Paige countered.

"Okay….What's gong on."

"Nothing." Both said, or rather growled. Phoebe looked uneasy at the two as they stared daggers at each other. She loved both her sisters, but something's were better not to get in the middle of.

* * *

Wyatt edged a little closer, trying his best to act as the brave older brother, Chris followed behind him. When the strange man moved Chris's arm tightened around Wyatt's.

"Let go you wimp." Wyatt muttered.

Chris let out a, humph. "I'm not a wimp, you are."

"Then why are you holding my hands…." Wyatt said with a smug grin.

"Because…I want to make sure that if he's a demon I can pull you back."

"Uh-huh…you're just chicken."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are TOO!"

A gurgle behind them, caused the brothers to jump, and Chris let out a whimper.

"I think he's awake…."

"Where am I?"

Chris quickly pushed Wyatt forward, ignoring the scowl his brother sent at him.

"Umm…you're at our house…my aunt Phoebe brought you. My names Wyatt…."

"Wyatt what did mommy tell you about telling people your name?" The younger one said, fear in his eyes.

He shook his head, and turned to the two boys, so these were Phoebe's nephews…his cousins. A small smile crossed his face, and his eyes turned to the one who was the oldest, the one with those bright blue eyes.

"It couldn't be?"

"What?" Wyatt asked, confusion written on his face.

"Nothing, don't worry."

Chris felt a little braver, the man didn't seem like a demon, and Wyatt hadn't put his shield up, so he wasn't a bad guy.

Coleridge turned to the younger of the two staring at him, his eyes inquisitive.

"What's your name?"

He smiled.

"You give me yours first."

The little boy hesitated, but reluctantly answered.

"Christopher…."

"You guys can call me...Consobrinus."

"That's a funny name."

"It's Latin…."

"Yeah…what's it mean?" Chris asked eagerly. The fear forgotten and a huge smile appeared spreading on his face.

Again a smile crossed his face, and he placed both his hands on their heads, and ruffled both their heads gently.

"Maybe when you're older…I'll tell you."

He stood up, brushing his shoulders lightly.

"Ummm…I don't think you should leave until my mom comes in." Wyatt spoke up.

Chris nodded his head enthusiastically, and moved a little closer to his brother.

"Don't worry about it." He focused his eyes on both children, and felt Chris's mind bend under his own. Yet in Wyatt something pushed back another force, as if the boy had another soul; one that felt very familiar.

He leaned over, placing a hand on Wyatt's head.

"You were not powerful enough back then…and you are not powerful enough now."

He felt one final push, and the young boys mind crumbled under his own. Once again he ruffled the boy's hair gently.

"Why don't you two go play?"

Two head nods.

"Good…and don't tell your mom or aunts anything…remember it's a secret."

Again the two nods.

"Run along now."

He watched the retreating backs, and a grim expression took place over his face. He shook his head slowly, trying to clear the thoughts that were going through.

"I must do what I must."

But these human emotions were pushing through, and he was forced to push more magic into this body merely to hold them in place…perhaps Simelan had been right…this wasn't the right course of action. Yet how could he deny the possibilities, his body leading him up the stairs of the manor, the power beckoning to him. He could do more then destroy her…he could take away everything.

A pulse of pain passed through his head, and his face tightened; what right did she have to a family? She had denied him his, why not return the favor. The emotions boiled even more, and again he increased the magic to suppress them. It wasn't enough…the magic was never enough; he needed something more, something else that could control the emotions.

He reached the door, he could feel the power behind it…the book. That was what Simelan had wanted, it had the power to bring the end of the Charmed Ones…and perhaps enough to give him control.

"You lost."

The voice snapped him out of his concentrate, and he turned to the voice coming from behind him. Tall, dark hair blue eyes, a perpetual smirk, and a face that resembled his. He quickly gulped, and suppressed the childlike emotions that threatened to explode. That urge to run into the arms of the man that he was sure was his father.

"I'll ask again… are you lost." He voice deepened and the blue eyes narrowed dangerously. Sorrow shot through Nuitari's heart…his own father didn't recognize him, even in his human form. But should he be surprise? His mother hadn't been any different, why could he expect this from this man, who wasn't even around to stop his vanquishing.

Anger poured through, and once again the magic rose to suppress it.

"No…I was just looking for the bathroom…."

"In the attic?"

"I got lost…."

"You just said you weren't."

"Yeah…my head hurts…wait how'd you get here I didn't here you come up?"

"I know my way around here."

"Oh an old friend."

"You can say that." Cole looked the boy up and down; something was strange about this one.

"How'd you get into the house?"

"Umm Phoebe brought me…I think…."

"Phoebe…."  
He didn't miss the flash of pain the shown through his fathers face.

"Aren't you a little too young?"

"No…I think she saved my life from these things."

Cole's eyes narrowed.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't know what they were all I know is that I saw her then something grabbed me…then darkness."

"You don't seem distressed by this. Most people would claim to be dreaming or going insane."

"I read a lot of fantasy books…I guess a part of me always thought they were true."

Horrible answer, but the man seemed to take it. Apparently death had made his father soft, very well it would still work to his advantage.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between the two of them, and Nuitari shifted side to side.

"Well…I really have to go…so I guess you can let Phoebe know I'm here, or whatever…." He stretched the magic out, and tapped into his fathers mind, he felt resistance, as if the mans mind was a steel wall, but he forced his way through, and the shield collapsed.

"Why don't you go somewhere…I'll be okay."

He felt the mind fight back, but he pushed again, with no secondary force to protect it, his father mind bent under his will.

"I'll be going to the bathroom now…you said it was right through this door right?"

Cole nodded, this was wrong, something was wrong a part of his mind screamed at him. He felt like fighting back, but it was like a slow suffocation for him to do so. Something definitely wasn't right, but he pushed it aside.

"All right then…I didn't catch your name."

"Yeah you did."

"Of course how weird huh…."

"Yeah." A smile broke through.

"All right well, the bathrooms through that door."

Again that small voice cried in his head, but Cole simply pushed it back.

Nuitari nodded and watched his father shimmer away; completely oblivious that he had just done so in the presence of a mere "mortal."

Another bout of pain shot through his head, and he felt his stomach churn. Something stirred in him, another human emotion; he knew what it was…that feeling. Guilt.

A quick laugh broke through his lips, why should he feel guilt. Was he the one that abandoned the family? Was he the one who let his child die, and did not cry a single tear. No he wasn't…he would feel no guilt, no remorse.

Yet there was only one way to do so, to stop those maddening thoughts, he turned his gaze to the attic, entering slowly.

The book of shadows laid before him…all he needed. This would be his step, his final stance to end it all. His mother, his father…his once family, they would all pay the world and, finally the heavens themselves.

He put his hand on the book, and felt it pulse under his fingers, unsure of whether to flee or to remain.

The triquerta shown brightly under his hand…that symbol; unity, togetherness…family, was that not what it meant, all that he longed for. A world that was no longer his and parents that perhaps had never wanted him.

The magic burned in his veins, and he accepted it, his heart and soul wide open. He felt the rush of power that came with it, the ecstasy.

Power was what he was…power was what he will be.

"Time to start."

* * *

Ehh…okay chapter I guess…but hey I'm not complaining some editing probably to be done…will be done, but school's got me rather occupied now. For those of you wondering Consobrinus is Latin for maternal first cousin. 


	7. Family Reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Dragon Lance. They are owned by their authors who names escape me as of now but I can tell you I don't have the rights to them, this is just for fun…yup.

Reviews: Thanks once again for all of you who have managed to leave reviews greatly appreciated.

* * *

Chapter 7

Family Reunion

* * *

"What are you doing?" 

Simelan blinked into the Charmed Ones house, and took a look around, fear evident on his face. He should've known better then to just blink in here like that; it was common knowledge that anything that came from the Underworlds was considered target practice.

"What I'm supposed to."

"Oh God cut that crap…," Simelan shook his head pacing around irritation and fear eating at his nerves. "This isn't what we planned, you weren't supposed to draw attention, you were supposed to get the book, make a double…get vanquished, and leave with the book…that's all…was that so hard…how is that hard…I could've done it…I should have done it…I just can't…."

"Shut up."

"HOW…" The words caught in his throat…that gleam in the eye…he knew that gleam. Madness, the same madness that overcame those who weren't ready for power, those who's very essence, very blood burned with magic…he had to leave, not later but now.

"Maybe we should…"

"I can read that pitiful mind of yours Simelan…" Nuitari turned to face him and Simelan shivered in fear; the face was different, not the hollowed out weakness of his demonic form, or the simplicity of his human form. He wore a black robe ordained with silver, and his long hair, pitch black was tied up behind his head. The eyes no longer bright, but a pale blue that bordered on whiteness…It was different, it was complete…almost complete.

"What did you do?"

"Equivalent exchange."

"Oh crap…." Simelan moved backwards "I'm getting out of here." He pulled back…and looked around again…he hadn't blinked, he was still here.

He concentrated again, there was no way he had messed up something as simple as blinking…no way in hell.

"You're not going anywhere…daddy." The look of pure mockery on Nuitari's face, as with a flick of a wrist, Simelan felt his body flung against the left wall of the attic, his body landing with a loud crash.

He shook his head groggily as he heard the footsteps rushing up….

'_Why not just orb?'_ His brain asked, and he responded with a gurgle.

An energy ball blasted the floor in front of him, and he glanced up at Nuitari; what was this kid thinking…he really had lost it. Simelan's mind screamed at him to move, but not even his demonic attributes were gonna get him out of this. He felt unconsciousness take him…maybe if he was lucky the Charmed Ones would kill the kid, and save him the trouble…maybe….

"As you said, we need that part of me dead." Nuitari was talking, his voice pitch higher, feverish.

"You're crazy."

"Like father like son."

Nuitari turned away as the door busted open; all three sisters standing at the entry way gaping. He smirked, the book of shadows glowing brightly under his hands.

His aunt...Piper if he read her mind correctly flicked her hand up, and he smiled as he felt the rush of magic touch his body, his molecules racing. With a snap of his fingers the tingling stopped, and a small spark of magic appeared in his hands.

A maniacal laugh erupted from his lips, as he closed his hands around it wiping it from existence.

"Well…" Nuitari tilted his head to side, staring at all of the sisters. Magic poured from his body, enveloping him in power, he felt his heart race, and beads of sweat evaporated from over his brow.

"Who are you?" Phoebe spoke up, her hands wrapped around her sisters.

Nuitari turned his eyes to her, and rage filled him; but he didn't respond, he moved closer, and stopped short when he noticed Pipers hand's twitch.

He sized them up carefully, letting his senses taste the magic that flowed through them, and he shook his head. Nuitari spook up disdain evident in his voice, "the power of three...how sad, is this what magic has really become?"

He flinched again as Piper sent her hands at him; this time he allowed the magic to flow through him, and once again laughed as the magic exploded in front of him, his body completely undamaged.

Nuitari smiled, as three energy balls formed around him, floating softly and brightening the darkened attic.

"I guess this is what they call a heart warming family reunion?"

* * *

Cole opened his eyes, and shook his head, trying to understand his location, and better yet how he had managed to get to were he was…all he remember was a boy, talking, and a voice in his mind screaming to him not to listen, but then darkness….and here he was…inside a volcano. 

He had to get back warn the sisters, that kid was dangerous, a pull to his heart stopped him short, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Piper…."

Something was wrong with her, he concentrated, and fear filled him…something was definitely wrong. Very few things in this world or the next scared Piper Halliwell, and whatever this was…it was bad.

He had to get back, and help; he shimmered away, completely unaware of the tome that shown brightly on the floor behind him.

* * *

The sisters dodged another energy ball that was flung at them, as the man stood calmly in the middle of the room. His gaze 

Phoebe was breathing hard, she knew Coleridge had been in this room…she knew she was supposed to protect him, but he was dead, she could feel it, once again she had failed to protect an innocent, and it was eating her alive. It wasn't the explosion that had caused her to run, but the feeling deep in her heart, as if a part of her soul had died.

Another energy ball shook her from her thoughts. She looked at the demon, he was toying with them each energy ball he tossed flung with boredom.

"Energy ball," Paige cried out, one of the balls disappeared in blue orbs, and flew back exploding on the demons body.

"Cough…cough…cough…." He batted his right hand through the air, and wiped his robes off with the other. "Whew…I think I felt that one."

He twitched an eyebrow and all three sisters found their bodies slamming against the wall.

A wave of his hand had all three suspended in the air; he stared for a while a fireball glowing softly in his hand. He snapped his fingers; and grinned as they fell to the ground the looked up as his head shook his head, a cold laugh echoing through the attic.

"I'm sorry ladies, I'm not quite sure I introduced myself," a sinister smile spread through his lips, "very rude to just go and kill people without telling them your name don't you think?" He paused as if for dramatic effect, bowing mockingly before them "Nuitari, of the Black Moon."

Piper and Paige's eyes widened and without their hands to stop them the gasps escaped quickly.

Phoebe stared at her sisters, what was with them, what did they know that they didn't? The name Nuitari…another demon, the one who was responsible for that poor woman's death, just another demon…what was so different about this one? A quick pain shot through her stomach, as if reprimanding her.

His eyes studied them, the other two recognized him they knew who he was, he could hear the thoughts echoing through their minds, his aunts, uncertainty, mixed with anguish…they couldn't vanquish him…but his mother, she didn't know…she never knew.

Another fireball appeared in his hand, electricity flashing around it. His face contorting in rage, as something inside him snapped, a snarl escaped his lips and the magic rose, pouring forth of his body, the floor smoked under his feet, and lightening flashed outside as the wind picked up rocking the house.

'_How dare…'_ His mind screamed at him, and without thinking the fireball flew at them, exploding in a tremendous light. He stared at the light and for a brief moment grief flashed through his face, His aunts didn't deserve this…but he pushed it aside, as another emotion took place…rage.

He hadn't known what had made him do it, he didn't even know how much of his powers he even had left…but still he had done it, jumped in front of them, to protect their lives…her life…just like before…with the Source, except it seemed this time he was better prepared.

Cole lowered his hands, the black light flashing between them disappearing. He had powers, but they weren't demonic. He had only been shimmering, but even that, when he did it felt different. He didn't have time to worry about it when another fireball flew at him, once again being absorbed by the black light that flowed from his hands.

"Well, could this possibly be a challenge?" Nuitari cocked his head to the side, and with a twitch of his hand, Cole, Piper, and Paige found there bodies flying through the air.

"Guess not." He shrugged.

He turned his attention to his mother, now on her feet her arms poised to attack. "Seriously now why even bother?" He questioned, as he stopped her leg in mid air. She was slow, no doubt because the focus was now on the man behind him.

Cole stood up, and for a moment their eyes met, and the emotions flowed between them, love, passion…and deep down regret.

Nuitari smiled as he felt the emotional tension in the room.

"I can read your mind, hell I know everything your about to do before you do it." Phoebe's eyes widened and a cry of pain escaped her lips as she felt the bone in her right arm snap.

"See," he moved in closer. "I know everything…the thoughts running through your mind…through his mind." Nuitari turned to his father.

"Would you like to know?" He pulled Phoebe's hair back, and whispered into her ear, his lips sending shivers down her spine. He turned to his father…"Do you know what she is thinking now?" He notices the grimace that appeared on Cole's face.

A smirk crossed Nuitari's face. "You'd be wrong." The smile disappeared and small veins erupted from around his eyes, as the glowed an eerie blue.

Pain shot through Cole like a spear, and he leaned over blood dripping from his mouth, his face contorted with agony, and he pulled his arms around him as his blood boiled. Piper rushed to his side, "what are you doing to him?" She asked in alarm, as Cole retched unto the floor the vomit mixed with blood. She stared in horror as blood dripped from his nose, eyes, and ears.

"Empathic control…any emotion is nothing more but something for me to maniulate; from a point were you feel nothing…to the point were it overwhelms your mind, and your body." He turned his eyes to the man writhing on the floor in front of him. "Your sister knows very well how dangerous emotions can be. None can make you a demon…to much…well…." He moved forward dragging Phoebe along with him, until he could press his hand on the shield.

Phoebe struggled slightly, but his grip was like iron, and with a swift movement he pressed her face against the shield, she flinched from the burning sensation that shot through her body from his touch.

"So much emotion from him though…" He pulled her hair a harder. "Made it so difficult to choose; rage, hatred, envy…but those are not the only things…aah yes…one you're pretty aware of…."

A fist connected with Nuitari's face, and Cole slumped down to his knees, the pain receding, he wretched a little bit but this time from the smell of burnt flesh filling the air. Phoebe pulled her left arm back, wincing at the pain that was shooting through. He turned to face his mother; the pale eye's burrowing into her own.

"Ouch…why'd you stop me…are you afraid to know what he is feeling…afraid to know that maybe he still loves you?" He shook his head, and his eyes flashed black. "That would be just like you…running away from others…to weak to admit the truth…that you killed him…that you killed..."

He cut himself short, instead taking in deep breaths.

Phoebe felt her body rise off the floor, a chocking force pushed against her throat and she gargled slightly, small drops of blood dripped from her lips. She turned her eyes to him and watched with dread as he levitated to meet her. Noticing the look of surprise in her eyes he smiled.

"It's a gift…from my mother…." He said the last part with a sneer.

He moved in closer, and his thumb brushed against her skin, she flinched slightly, as blood leaked from the spot. "Burns doesn't it? The cost of power is too high for most humans to even resist…I am lucky enough to have more to me then just that impure blood."

Nuitari leaned in closer, hugging his body closer to her, and laughed gently as he felt her body freeze.

"You still don't know do you?"

She looked at him, the fear replaced by confusion.

"Look deeper…." He whispered to her, his eyes almost begging, seeking.

What was he talking about she thought, he leaned in closer his nose close to hers, his eyes still burrowing. What was she supposed to know? Her mind screamed at her, as a small voice tried to remind her….

It hit her then, maybe it was the pain that was increasing in her stomach, or the extreme nausea, but those eyes, they were his eyes.

"Coleridge?"

The smile widened.

"Ding, ding, ding, Congratulations you're our winner," he pulled back a look of ecstasy on his face, his hand caressing her belly softly, "now here's your prize."

With one swift movement he bit down into his thumb, drawing blood out, and wiped it across all four of his fingers. Looking right into her eyes he shoved his hand into her abdomen. The flesh gave way, and his fingers burned through her, she pulled back biting back the urge to scream, and the bile that rose in her throat.

She lifted her eyes to meet those pale ones. Hatred rested in them, her empathetic powers told her that; he was trying to suppress them, but he was failing…she pusheded deeper, not sure why. Here she was moments from death, and she wanted to know…why so much hatred…towards her…towards Cole…she pushed through the emotions one by one, as she felt darkness wrap itself around her...

A small chuckle forced her to lift her head, and Phoebe stared at the darkening smile, and flinched inwardly at the small amount of pain she saw that rested behind those eyes.

"Even now…you still don't know?" She looked at him, and moved her hands up, to wipe a small tear falling from those eyes, ignoring the searing pain that shot through her thumb. Something in her compelled her too…that feeling, the same one she got when she held Wyatt and Chris.

'_But he isn't family, he's a threat to her, and everyone else she loves,_' her mind screamed …but she couldn't stop not even if she had wanted too.

Time slowed down for Phoebe…or maybe for him, she couldn't tell anymore, the grips of the darkness held on to her pulling her deeper. Despite it all she still continued to probe, and he let her, no resistance instead he floated there with her, his fingers pushing through her slowly. Pain after pain shot through her body, but she carried on, until she found that one spark, that one emotion that she had to know….

Phoebe's eyes flew opened and she stared at him, passed the now pale blue eyes. What her eyes had been too blind to see, her heart did. A calm face with almond shaped blue eyes staring from under untidy brown hair, a small upturned nose, and a small frame…a young boy…one who she had such a strong connection too…again pain shot through her stomach, not from the fingers pushing there way through…from something else….

"Oh god," the smile on his face only widened, and unconsciousness gripped her as the fingers pushed in deeper.

* * *

"NO!" Piper through her hands out, over and over again, rage and sorrow filled her, not only her own though, but Cole's she could feel it leaking from him as if there was nothing to stop it. The magic flowed through her fingertips exploding against the magical shield; again she threw her hand out, desperately trying to get to her sister. At that moment she didn't care if he was her nephew, he was going to pay. 

The magic was increasing; Piper could feel it, as blast after blast cracks began to appear, until the entire shield crumbled.

He merely glanced at her, not doing anything to stop her, watching with mild amusement.

Rage turned to grief when she saw Phoebe slump in his arm, he turned his arm holding her up, and whispered into her ear.

"Oh," Piper slumped to her knees, and she could feel Paige's arms around her; it couldn't be happening…just like before…with Prue. She had failed Phoebe…this family, so many times, and now another one…she had lost Phoebe again.

With a quick motion he threw the body on the floor. Blood dripping from his finger tips.

Once again rage filled her…but it wasn't her own…this one completely overwrote her senses, and she struggled to keep from having it wash over her.

"Cole," She turned to him, noticing the dark light that flared from his hands, flowing like a dark fire. Without pausing he threw them out, the strand like smoke heading towards her nephew.

"NO!" She screamed out. It wasn't supposed to happen like this…no of it was supposed to have been like this.

A dark shield rose around Nuitari, and the beams merely circled around it. He turned his eyes to his father. He reached out and gripped the dark light in his hands, and grinned as it coalesced into a ball spinning slightly in his hands.

Nuitari's palm clenched, and black flame covered the light, and they could only watch as it slowly expanded, the amount of energy it created shattering the windows.

"Honestly…did you really think that would work?" He launched it back.

"Piper, freeze it," Cole shouted out, his hands already flashing again, in case he could somehow stop it.

Piper flung her hands out "I can't, it's too powerful." She flung her hands out again.

Cole threw his hands out as well, adding his own magic and the ball slowed down.

"ENERGY BALL" Paige shouted, as a blue orbs covered the rushing ball, it still moved towards them, but Paige concentrated harder, until it disappeared in purple orbs.

Nuitari stared for a moment…impossible no witches' power would be strong enough…he watched in mild amusement as the ball flew back at him, propelled by a glowing red light.

He shrugged his shoulders, and a small sigh escaped his lips, as the ball exploded against his body.

The explosion rocked the house, as Paige and Piper were blown against the wall; they managed to get a glimpse of Phoebe's body secured in Cole's arm, as he took the full blunt of the blast.

Piper pulled herself up, grunting against the pain that traveled up her spine; she coughs slightly clearing her lungs.

"Paige you okay?" Piper asked; her eyes on her younger sister…

"Yeah…oh my…Phoebe." Paige crawled towards Cole ignore the bouts of pain that shot through her chest.

"She's alright…I can feel a pulse." Cole was staring at her. Paige grimaced and almost said something, noting how his arms were wrapped tightly around Phoebe, as if never wanting to let go, yet still wanting to just push her aside.

"Guys…" Piper pulled closer to Paige.

Their nephews shambled body emerged from the wreckage, blood leaking from several open wounds, the rib cage completely exposed, bones jutting out in different directions, some broken, and splintered, and blood dripping from the enflamed eye sockets. A charred skull, with patches of red stained hair falling out, blood was dripping from the enflamed swiveling eye sockets. Tattered remains of his robe, hung closely to his body, the blood being the only thing keeping the on.

Paige felt like throwing up as she noticed the still beating heart, and the lungs, despite the piece of wood that jabbed through them. The mangled body moved closer, the mouth gaping and shutting as if attempting to speak unhinged from its position. Paige looked away, evidently seeing the reason why, the vocal chords were hanging loosely, and blood pumped through them, each dropping burning the wooden floor.

She wanted to turn away but she couldn't, a ruptured wrist twitched and Cole and Piper were instantly thrown against the wall. Paige could only watch as the body healed itself, the bones resetting, the cracks healing, and knitting themselves back, blood sizzled, and evaporated, and the flesh healed. A newly fixed hand reached and pulled the slab out, tossing the piece of wood aside. A hissing sound escaped the lips, as his throat repaired itself, and blood bubbled forward dripping down his chin. Hair grew back from the mangled skull, shining black and tied itself neatly into a ponytail. Pale, smooth skin covered the rippling jaw muscles. He opened his mouth as if testing its durability and that same sneering smile appeared on his face.

Nuitari stood whole before her, cracking the bones of his neck, and shoulders as if no damage had ever occurred; if he wasn't trying to kill them, she would have felt some form of pride towards her nephew.

He wasn't paying attention to her though; instead his focus was on the book, which lay on the floor, the triquerta still shining brightly.

"Book of shadows," she mumbled softly, but a wave of his hands stopped the orbing.

She raised her hands as he flung a fireball at her, her body warmed up and for a moment she thought she was dying, but there was no pain instead of it was comforting.

Paige opened her eyes, and noticed the soft red glow the covered her body.

"So it is true…." She turned to her nephew who was staring at her, and she blanched as she noticed blood leaking from his eyes like tears.

He walked towards her, and stretched his hand out placing it on her forehead, she flinched again attempting to move, but stopped when she felt the pain recede, and even her soul felt at ease.

"Wouldn't want anything happening to my little cousin now would I?" Nuitari smiled softly. He moved away the book of shadows appearing in his hand, with a flick of his wrist a golden light surrounded the unconscious Piper and Cole the wounds covering their bodies healing instantly.

He began to disappear…

"Wait." Paige called out weakly willing her body to move.

"No…no more waiting, my debt to you is repaid," his eye's lightened to a cold blue. "Next time we meet…I will kill her…and you, if you stand in my way." Without a glance he vanished in an orb of black lights.

"How is she?" Piper glanced at Cole who stood at the door, his face void of emotion.

"She's okay, Leo managed to heal the wounds, but they left some scars," she glanced down at her little sister, worry pulling at her. Pipers reached forward dabbing a cool clothe on Phoebe's head to wipe away the beads of sweat, "but the fever won't go down, no matter what we try. The elders say she's trapped in a premonition, and until it's over…."

"They can't pull her out."

"Not against what put her in…." She cut herself off, trying not to think of the young man…her nephew…how he could have done this…to his own mother.

"How's the demon guy?" Piper asked trying to change the conversation, but the worry still evident in her voice.

"He won't talk, I think he's gone crazy…or is playing crazy, with Simelan you never know," Cole shrugged.

"Well…I'm going to go check on him; maybe I can convince him to talk." Piper stood up, walking towards the door. A part of her hoping that maybe Cole could bring her sister of the premonition…another part just not able to be there if he couldn't.

"What about Phoebe?" Cole asked obviously uncomfortable to be left in the same room with his ex-wife.

"You stay with her…when she wakes up…you two are going to have to talk."

Cole scowled.

"I don't think that's…"

"That was your son Cole; he tried to kill her and you." Piper leaned against the doorway, "both of you are going to have to deal with your issues, before you can deal with him," Piper closed the door behind her.

She was right…he glanced down at Phoebe, a restless sleep apparently as he noted her eyes shifting beneath her eye lids. God he still loved her, he reached his hands out, yearning to touch her face, to whisper that it would be okay, that he would everything in his power to protect her. He pulled back, a mirthless laugh escaped his lips, wasn't it his desire to protect her that had put him into the position he was now? A broken relationship; he had absolutely no future, and a son a small chilling chuckled spilled forth…a son that wished death upon both his mother and father.

There was no future for him with Phoebe Halliwell, she hated him…and try as hard as he could, no matter what front he put up in front of Piper and Paige…he just couldn't bring himself to hate her too.

'_You'd be wrong.'_

The words of his son echoed through his head. He looked down at her, his face softening. Was it possibly that maybe she still…he shook his head no. She wouldn't forgive and neither would he…and maybe if he kept on wishing so…it would be true.

…just maybe….

* * *

Alright that's chapter 7 what do you think…hmm good, bad, horrible leave reviews for me to know what your opinions are. 

EDIT: WOW major haul done, not quite sure how people will stand with it, but I added a little bit more detail, had a little personal touching scene between Phoebe and her son, and a small one between Phoebe and Cole. So tell me what you think.


	8. Definition of Mortality

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Dragonlance. That's all folks.

Reviews: Wow thanks for the reviews guys I'm more then likely going to do some major editing in certain parts of the story, if you notice I've already done editing in Chapter 7 I might even add some new chapters. But to all of you who have taken the time to leave a review once again thanks.

The Nuitari elements will definitely come into play in the later chapters, as you see a gradual recession from humanity to godhood, to utter chaos.

Here's a list of his powers so far they all really stem from his heritage, for now his godhood only increases there potential.

**Telekinesis-Absolute in all ways, if he wanted to, he could literally split person's atoms. His telekinesis works to whatever level he focuses on, which is why he could break Phoebe's arm like it was nothing.**

**Invulnerability-To almost every magic but his own, one of the reasons that Piper's magic didn't work against him, that plus as a Halliwell, it wouldn't really have much of an effect on him. He can't be torn apart in any shape or form only mangled.**

**Regeneration-He can't be blown apart as pointed, but he can be mangled as seen in the last chapter, but he has a regeneration that is on par with any healing a white lighter or Avatar can do.**

**Healing-Any wound, demonic, or general, he can even bring the recently dead back to life, but only to a certain extent, anymore and he starts to breach the binds of his humanity.**

**Morphing-Though so far this has ranged between his demonic, human, and a combination of those two forms, he can change to any shape, or form that he chooses.**

**Levitation-He can levitate, but unlike Phoebe who would rise and tends to stay on one position, he can walk on the air.**

**Demonic energy-Due to his father being the Source of all Evil at the time of conception, he has access to any demonic power that he chooses, from energy balls, to fireballs, to flame throwing. His demonic half isn't due to the source though, but genetics.**

**Magic Manipulation-Amplify magical powers, in part it is more of him since he is in essence magic, so the more unstable his emotions the more magic leaks out of him, and that amplifies the magic of those around him. In the same way though he can extinguish the magic around him, nullifying its effect, or more accurately lowering its abilities.**

**Empathic Manipulation-One of my personal favorites, he is in essence an empath, which is why his emotional state is more irrational then it would normally be. He can also manipulate the emotions of those around him, using them to his own powers, or go as far as manipulate the emotion within the other person, increasing decreasing, to incredibly dangerous points.**

**Mental Manipulation-He doesn't force against free will, rather he uses it to his advantage, rather then pushing aside the person's thoughts, he plants the idea within there heads then uses his own abilities to increase the desire the person wants, or whatever thought it was.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Definition of Mortality.

_To be mortal is the acceptance _

_That one day you will be naught but a memory._

* * *

Death…is that not what he had promised her? Yet he failed…no he hadn't failed…he had faltered, like a human…like his father. 

Nuitari leaned over, and took his breaths in calmly; attempting to slow down his racing heart…He laughed…heart? Did he even have one anymore? Did he even have to begin with?

His thoughts flashed back to her…those eyes, staring into his soul, pushing aside his emotions, pulling apart secrets he had buried…even from himself…and he had let her. A simply task, not at all difficult to have blocked her empathic powers…but the bond…the bond that he so desperately had craved…for a brief moment it was there…the love that she had for him….

That was the reason he had let her live…instead of plunging his hand through her, he had spared her life; the words that he had dreamed to whisper to her, as her life essence ebbed from her body and seeped into his own…all washed away.

A look…something so simple yet so powerful…one look and they had fled his mind, and instead of hatred, instead of rage, a desire for vengeance…he saw love…and he had balked…the demon in him, the human…and the god.

He threw up a little, blood oozing out of his mouth, and dripping to the tattered robes that now covered his body. Ashen lips opened and closed, as if seeking moisture from the very air…air that they desperately needed…and lacked.

Love…was that not the emotion the humans experienced…that "good" experienced…was that not what he was experiencing? Did that make him good? Or was it nothing more but an illusion? Empathy had its prices; the questioned plagued his mind, corrupted his senses…was it merely her emotions that were acting through him…that he had spared her life…his fathers life…his families life…or was there something more.

A wave of his hand and a small throne appeared; he moved forward clutching his stomach, blood poured from his eyes. Equivalent exchange…it was supposed to have stopped this…all of this.

He stopped wiping them away, flinching slightly as they burned his fingers. No more, rest that was what he needed…just to rest. He collapsed into it, his body slumped. He closed his eyes tired of the fight, he ignored the restlessness that swept through him, the force that was slowly corrupting, devouring his soul…and dreamed…dreamed of a world were a man, a woman, and a young boy lived together with a family. Nuitari dreamed of a place…that he could call home.

…and the darkness grew….

* * *

_Phoebe stirred, sweat dripping from her brows. She blinked her eyes trying to adjust to the light that was pouring into the room. _

"_Look she's awake…"_

_Awake…what did they mean she's awake? And that voice, it sounded familiar so familiar._

_A pair of blue eyes wavered over her, gentle concern lacing them._

"_See I told you mommy would be just fine."_

_Mommy? What was going on…?_

"_Piper," She whispered. Her throat was so raw, she swallowed, ignoring the pain and called again._

"_Piper?" _

"_I'm right here honey."_

"_What happened? We were in the attic…and he was there…and Cole._

"_Right here," she turned her eyes to the voice, and gasped slightly. No…it wasn't possibly…he was dead…he was supposed to be dead. _

"_It was a dream honey, you were only dreaming."_

_No it couldn't be a dream, it had to be real. This was the dream, panic overtook her. _

_She felt her throat clench, and she struggled to breathe._

"_Oh man she's having another one. PAIGE!" Piper gently pushed her sister down._

"_Relax honey. Coles alright…so is Nicholas…." Piper brushed her hands over her sister hair trying her best to calm her down._

"_PAIGE!" She called again._

"_No…No…This isn't right." Phoebe shook her head frantically trying once again to get up._

"_Pheebs relax…" Piper let out an exasperated sigh, "Cole come over here and settle down your wife…." _

_Wife…no something was wrong._

_His eyes floated over hers, and she felt tears well up in her eyes. She flinched slightly as she felt his lips press against her forehead, driving away the feverish heat. _

"_Everything's okay Phoebe, I'm fine, and so is Nicholas, see," he held up the young boy to her…the same one she had saw before, before the darkness had taken her. Blue eyes flecked with brown stared back at her, as a smile stretched across the boys face._

"_See we're okay…so please relax…we wouldn't want anything happening to the baby now would we?"_

"_Baby?" She questioned incredulously._

"_Yes baby…our baby girl…three's a company right?" Cole smiled gently at her, and wiped her forehead."_

_Phoebe looked down, and noticed her protruding belly…of course no wonder she had felt heavier, why getting up had been such a chore._

"_Oh God," she mumbled and her eyes fluttered shut._

_Piper moved over to her sister, and quickly patted her head with a towel; she turned around and shot an irritated scowl at Cole, who shrugged helplessly._

"_Great job Cole, just great."_

* * *

"Still not talking?" Piper moved over to Paige, staring at the demon that was rocking back and forth muttering, something along the lines of "death of me." Paige stared at her sister, a look of amusement on her face, "he hasn't said anything, just sat there…complaining." She hesitated. "How's Phoebe…?" 

Piper's eyes shadowed over….

"Who's with her?"

"Cole…"

"PIPER," Paige shouted eye's widening. The demon inside the cage let out a small whimper, and curled up.

"Why is everyone has been shouting at me so much lately?"

"It's Cole; Piper, you know him he'll worm his way back into her life, and now with our psychotic nephew in the picture…."

"They need each other, now at least…even if Cole doesn't stay; at least the closure will be good for Phoebe…for both of them." Piper added.

Paige opened her mouth to argue, but thought against it, "Did Cole even tell you he had those powers?" She asked her eyes moving back to the demon.

"No…but I'm not surprised it seems everyone has been keeping secrets around here." Piper muttered, sending her sister a glance, Paige just smiled. Piper had fumed over her not telling her she was pregnant, ranting about how she had almost lost both her sisters today, and a future niece, or nephew.

"Secrets about what?" She asked innocently.

"Don't start with me Paige." Piper sent her another glare.

"I wasn't sure yet Piper."

"So, it doesn't matter, you don't take risks like that."

"Yeah but apparently the little one here can protect itself, so no harm no foul."

Piper's mouth fluttered opened, and then shut into a thin line; the line that meant sooner not later someone was going to get yelled at.

"So he's a demon again." Paige stated noting the look in her sister's eyes, the best move now was to change the subject.

"I'm not sure what he is…it wasn't his demonic form stuck in limbo, it was his human soul…so how he has powers…."

"It's the spell…" Leo said, "The spell you cast to bring him back, you used your blood." He said, a slip of accusation falling into it."

"What!" Paige turned to her older sister.

"She used a blood to blood summoning." Leo continued.

"What!" Paige's eyes bulged slightly.

"Paige quiet down and breathe, and Leo we've used blood to blood summoning's before, no harm no foul." Piper said mimicking Paige's earlier statement and ignoring the glare that was sent in her direction.

"Souls in limbo are there for a reason, pulling one out is bad enough, pulling one out with a spell like that…oh god Piper."

"What?"

"You made him a witch." Leo stated finally.

"Oh God…." Paige muttered sitting down.

"How…is that even possible?" Piper put her hands on her hips regarding her husband as if he was crazy.

"Not usually, he isn't even a witch per say, more of a spiritual culmination of powers. The point is that Cole was at one time a member of the family…a blood to blood summoning…Piper…you gave him Halliwell powers."

It was Piper's turn for her eyes to widen.

"Those black flame lights, that you said you saw coming from his hands? There a variation of your powers; instead of molecular manipulation, he has molecular displacement."

"Meaning?"

"That light moves whatever it absorbed into limbo." He explained hoping to see worry within Piper's eyes. Instead she looked skeptical.

"Are the powers evil?"

Leo stopped and stared at her and hesitantly muttered a no.

"Then it's not a problem, now is it?"

"Piper he isn't supposed to be a witch," "I thought you said he was a spiritual culmination of power" Piper retorted "Whatever he is the fact remains that he shouldn't be, hell he isn't supposed to be alive." "Hasn't stopped him before," Paige muttered.

"But it doesn't fall into the grand design." Leo argued.

"The elders design?" Piper said the accusation flashing in her eyes.

"No, not theirs…the bigger bosses. I'm not working for them anymore Piper, but I have these powers, and I still have to answer to more powerful forces."

"Humph."

He shook his head, knowing that this conversation would have to be held for another time; instead Leo turned his attention to the demon that was whimpering and shivering within the cage.

"Has he said anything?"

Piper stared at him, but sighed letting the fight slip out of her system. "No…did you find anything?" She asked hesitantly.

"Only that the dark moon has now taken its place within the sky."

"Okay what's the deal with these moons…in the attic he mention it, as his name…as a title." Piper asked, again frustrated by the lack of information that they always needed.

"The dark moon…or black moon, is Nuitari's symbolism, invisible to all but those who worship him…the only reason the guys upstairs can even sense it, is due to the amount of energy its giving off, making them rather uneasy."

"Is he really that powerful?" Paige wondered out loud.

"He threw us around like we were rag dolls Paige. He even regenerated from a state that would have killed anyone or anything else…I think that puts him on the powerful list." Piper retorted.

Leo nodded, "It began about a day ago; they noticed a couple of stars blinking out, and some sort of mass taking up space. So they looked into it and the noticed that magic has been going rather spritzy lately…in this realm and the fantasy realm…huge argument took place between a leprechaun, a troll, and a goat…." He grimaced as he remembered the story.

Paige opened her mouth to ask something, but Pipers glance shut her up quickly, whatever the story was…it probably wasn't going to be a good one….well probably good she thought, but not one Piper would like.

"So how does this affect us?" Piper moved shaking her head. "The balance of magic is incredibly off now, the moon we have now is a representation of that balance, when the other three disappeared it took their place…suffice to say…magic weakened greatly."

"You calling our powers weak?" Paige teased.

"No…just," Leo contemplated seeking a word that wouldn't cause him to be blown into a million orbs, "just…not quite your level of potential."

"So…what?" Sometimes he wondered how they had managed to survive for so long, "Well have you notice your powers acting different?"  
"I have, and so has Paige…but she has her own reasons." Piper shot Paige another glare.

Paige let out a sigh, "Yeah, Piper hasn't been able to freeze things properly, and in the attic…well she kinda broke through a magical shield."

"I didn't really think much of it, but at the moment the powers were just increasing, my body was burning up." Paige looked at her surprised, "you seemed fine…"

"I was physically," Piper said, "but…I can't really explain it...the best I can say it was like the magic just wanted to come out, and even if I had wanted stop my hands…it wouldn't let me…."

Leo nodded sagely, "Dark magic is connected in some way or form with any type of power, more so for those that are offensive. I'm not surprised that you felt the way you did."

"It was so much power though, and I wanted it…to use it…to kill him, and when I refused…it stopped, the power just disappeared." Piper spoke softly.

"Equivalent exchange," Simelan muttered lifting his head to look at the witches.

"What you say?" Paige asked.

"Equivalent exchange…demonic rules…I'm surprised you witches haven't heard of it."

They turned to Leo, who shrugged his shoulders.

"O Source of all Evil," a snide sigh almost escaped his lips, until he remembered what could happen to him, he gulped "…it's like what you witches call personal gain…but for us demons in exchange for letting go of our souls, we gain more power."

"Souls…demons have souls?" Paige questioned incredulously obviously thinking it was a lie.

"Oh don't worry love, ain't much." He shot back. "Just enough to draw power from, though some of us have a little bit more, the more powerful the soul, the more powerful the demon, and when you suppress that soul…well you get things like The Source…or any other upper level demon…."

"Makes sense, the soul is a source of huge amounts of power...and it is said that the older demons were among the most powerful." Leo said, "Many demons do seek it for rituals of the sort."

"Aah yes those who originated from the corrupted humans." Simelan said nodding wisely, ignoring the rest of the statement. "Those souls were powerful enough as it was, and sacrificing them in total, well those demons were forces to be reckoned with." A wistful sigh escaped his lips.

"You're saying that's what was happening to me? This equivalent exchange," Piper asked.

"Yeah, you and that boy," Simelan snorted softly, "well he tried, fool doesn't understand anything I swear, I spend 5 years raising him, and now look…."

"He's seventeen." Paige interrupted.

"Aging spell the _tempus animus_ or whatever it's called," Simelan shrugged, "didn't think it would mess up his brain as badly as that. I thought I could use him, make myself the source, if only by name, but geez…the kid is uncontrollable…Belthazor's kid allright." He mumbled on.

"You used an aging spell…on him?!" Leo's eyes widened in surprise, and the sisters shot nervous glances at each other. Leo had been working with the Charmed Ones for a long time, not much shocked him. "Okay what's bad about the spell Leo?"

He let out another sigh and rubbed his head softly, "aging spells are usually to age one's body, the mind and soul remains the same…but that spell it ages the soul as well…that would explain why he refers to himself as Nuitari."

"Besides the fact that he has no name…" Paige said, "Actually I've called him that since he was little, so that's probably what it has to do with it." Simelan said, shrinking back from the glares that were sent at him.

"His memories are probably merging with Nuitari's…." Leo continued.

"So how do we stop it?"

"Break the spell…if you can…if not" Leo looked helplessly "…well were gonna have one pissed off God on our hands."

"Well don't just stand there, go up there and get some info on how to break the spell." Piper shouted, already heading upstairs…stopping when she remembered the book of shadows was missing….

"YOU!" She shouted at Simelan, who shrunk against the back of the cage only to get shocked. Piper watched exasperated, as he collapsed unto the ground unconscious.

Paige stared at her older sister, edging back along with Leo, as they waited for the explosion that was only moments from occurring.

"I'll get the tools." Leo whispered, and flinched when the grandfather clock exploded into tiny shards.

Paige could only nod in agreement.

* * *

Cole wiped the towel over Phoebe's head softly, watching her eyes flutter softly. For a moment he thought she was going to wake, and he had to calm his nerves from keeping himself from shimmering. Instead her eyes, rested and a content sigh left her lips. 

Dreaming…she was dreaming, and he couldn't stop himself from wondering of what…perhaps a world where they were together? He shook his head, no…that was impossible…a world were she had never met him…a world were she had a family that loved her, a husband, and sisters who were there for her. A world he had wanted to give her…and now watching her sleep, knowing that she might never wake up…he felt the need to give it to her….

'_You had your chances, and you lost,'_ a dark section of his mind muttered, and he could only nod in agreement.

Damn his humanity damn it to hell, he thought violently, these emotions…the ones that he had thought he had set aside. No wonder his son…he hesitated, yes it was his son, no matter what…could he truly judge him for what had happen?

No he couldn't and he wouldn't. He turned to Phoebe, and leaned in closer, willing himself not to kiss the lips that he desperately wanted. They would work things out…even if they could never be together, they would work things out…all he need was for her to wake up.

He kissed her forehead, and heard her moan softly under him.

"Wake up Phoebe…come back for him…" he hesitated, but there was no point denying it…not anymore…not when it really didn't mean anything…he loved her, always would…"for me."

* * *

"_Wake up Phoebe…come back to me."_

_Her eyes opened groggily, her brown ones meeting his blue ones, and she began to panic. He moved away, the hurt evident in his eyes, and she felt her heart flutter slightly._

"_Cole…" she murmured._

"_Yes," he stayed back, eying her carefully…unsure of how to react._

"_How…you're…you should be…." She couldn't find the words, and slumped back in exhaustion, he was automatically at her side, patting the towel on her head, and stroking her hands gently._

"_Relax…I know it was a long time ago…were past that…remember our promise?" He asked, his eyes intently burrowing._

"_Our promise," She said…promise, she couldn't remember, it wasn't her memories…but they flew up from deep within her soul._

"_Together, through the darkness of the underworld, to the light of the heavens, side by side, for eternity…no matter the pain…" he said, and stopped watching her intently "Our love will not be a memory…" she finished, and blushed slightly as he beamed at her._

"_See, there's the witch I love."_

"_But the source…the..."_

"_Is gone, it's just me Phoebe, your not the Queen of the underworld, and I'm not its king. Were just two more then average mortals in love…nothing more, nothing less._

"_No but…you…you were dead…I killed you."_

"_Yeah…well I've forgiven you for that…."_

"_And Nicholas…" She said the name rolling off her tongue. _

"_I killed him too," She whispered._

"_No honey, you didn't kill him, you saved him…you trusted yourself, you knew he wasn't evil despite everything, you knew he was truly good, and you saved him." He stopped confused as she burst into tears._

"_Honey…shh." He rubbed her back gently, and slowly she melted into his arms, taking in his scent._

_Maybe this was a dream, but she didn't want it to end…not now, not when everything she had ever wanted was right here in the palm of her hands._

"_Phoebe…"_

"_Where is he?"_

"_Who?" Cole asked overall even more confused._

"_My…son."_

_He grinned at her, and turned around calling._

_She watched with amazement as a young boy shimmered into the room. Those eyes so much like her own, the small frame, the untidy brown hair... she reached her hands out, and he rushed in, giggling as she tickled him and the tears came down even more._

"_Mom?" His voice soft but clear spoke out. _

"_Why are you crying?"_

"_Because…" She pulled him into a tighter hug, refusing to let go. "I love you." She murmured, and she knew it was true._

* * *

"I love you…" her voice cut through the darkness, and Cole snapped his head up. 

"Phoebe…" He moved closer, but sighed softly when he noticed she was still asleep.

He reached his hands forward, and brushed her hair away from her face.

"Still asleep huh," Paige moved into the room, her eyes studying Cole. He merely nodded, keeping his attention on Phoebe.

She moved closer, and felt like putting her hand on his shoulder, but hesitated letting her arm drop to the side.

"She'll wake up…."

"I know." A simple reply, Paige's face contorted in anger. Here she was attempting to reach out to the bastard, and all he could do is just ignore her?

"Good." She turned to leave.

"Paige…." He called out, and she stopped at the door.

"I'm…sorry." Cole looked at her, and nearly jumped as she rushed forward and placed her hand on his forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking to see if you have a fever, or maybe you're possessed." She stepped back, and eyed him suspiciously.

He chuckled a little, and turned his eyes back to Phoebe. "No I'm fine…I meant it though…."

"Whatever…nothin' to ask forgiveness for…." Paige retorted a little put-off.

He looked at her confused.

"I mean I've already forgiven you, the past is in the past…and next time…hopefully there won't be one…but if there is…we'll find a way to save you as well…ya know instead of letting you go crazy and all."

"Thanks...I think."

"Doesn't mean I like you though."

"Wouldn't want it any other way," He shot back, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Humph," her eyes flickered over to her sister, who had just let out a contented sigh. They stayed there for awhile, the dials on the clock and the opened door the only light in the room. The clocked clicked down to 3:00 am and Cole let out a breath, when he noticed Phoebe's eye's flutter, but relaxed again as she let out another sigh, and murmured something.

"Wonder what she's dreaming about…." Paige said.

Cole shrugged.

"She seems happy."

"More reason that I'm probably not part of it," Cole said somewhat bitterly.

"Jealous." Paige teased.

"No."

"So you are telling me you no longer love her?" Paige asked, and stared at Cole with a dumbfounded expression.

"No."

"No you do still love her, or no you don't."

"I just don't know…not anymore."  
This time she did place her hand on his shoulder.

"Snap out of it Cole your so depressing now, what happened to that cocky arrogant arsehole of a brother-in-law I once had?" Paige stared at him.

"You vanquished him remember?"

She flinched slightly.

"Well your back…again…so obviously I didn't do a good job about it."

"Yeah not one to complain though," Silence stretched between them.

"So…umm…Limbo…what's it like?" Paige asked conversationally.

"Quiet, peaceful, and calm," He replied.

"I thought it was supposed to be punishment?"

"Not punishment…just a place were I could be at peace, but still reprimanded for my crimes."

"All those people you killed as Belthazor?"

"No…all the people I killed as myself, demons and humans." He paused and took a breath.

"The deepest circles of hell are reserved for betrayers and mutineers." Paige said.

Cole looked up surprised. "Since when do you read Dante?"

"Who?"  
"Dante…inferno?"

"Never heard of it, I got that line from a movie."

"Ohh," he said and turned his eyes back to Phoebe.

"Yeah, anyway I'm going home to get some sleep…you should do the same."

"I can't leave her."

"Well you ain't sleepin' in here with her."

He scowled again. Paige let out another sigh, she didn't like this not one bit but she couldn't just leave Phoebe by herself.

"Chair," blue orbs sparkled lighting the room, and the living room chair was settled in the corner.

"You can sleep on there…but don't try anything funny…alright?" She eyed him carefully, and her gaze softened when she noticed the lines under his eyes.

"Get some rest Cole," she placed her hand on his shoulders again. Turning around she closed the door behind her.

"Thanks Paige." He whispered

"You're welcome," Her voice said smugly in the behind the door.

* * *

_Phoebe's morning had been interesting, the family had just brushed her reaction off as panic, and she felt herself falling back into the role of her life, even if it wasn't her own, the memories were fresh, and they cut deep. The difference between reality and fiction, dimmed for her, and she found herself falling into the life, a life where she and Cole were happy, with a child, and another one to come; she felt whole, she felt complete._

_She moved into the kitchen feeling quite pleased, Paige was out for the day, and Piper had left to take Wyatt and Chris to magic school. Demons still attack she read from her new memories, and evil still existed, but without a source it was easier to handle. _

"_You shouldn't think too much, it's bad for the baby." Pipers teasing voice spoke behind her._

_Phoebe rubbed her belly slightly. _

"_You okay?" Piper asked worriedly._

"_Yeah…I'm fine…it's just." Phoebe stopped._

"_What."_

"_This…all of this…I don't know if it's a dream…or reality."_

_Piper smiled. "I'm pretty sure it's reality, Leo checked with the Elders, they said you were trapped in a premonition."_

"_A premonition?"_

"_Yeah, one were you saw how your life would be without Cole," Piper moved pulling a seat closer._

"_It felt so real though…the pain…everything."_

"_Well you're an empath now, maybe you were just feeling the emotions the premonition you was feeling."_

"_That life…it was good…and bad."_

"_How so?"_

"_There were times when everything felt right, even without Cole…I had managed to find love…but it was never the same Jason," "Wow, Jason…as in your boss Jason," Piper interrupted. Phoebe ignored her and continued "Leslie, Dex, Drake, and Coop. None of them ever really compared to him…though Drake and Coop came close._

"_Whew," Piper whistled, "looks like someone was busy."_

"_Trying to make a premonition come true…a girl…a baby girl, and now I have her." Phoebe rubbed her belly again, and smiled when she felt a slight kick._

"_I have her…and a son."_

"_Lucky you, I got stuck with two boys in the family, and Paige got all girls." Piper pouted._

_Phoebe giggled, and rubbed her sisters back._

"_Don't know why, you're complaining." Cole's spoke up, "You're not the ones who were stuck in a house with three women, for two years."_

"_Humph, stop complaining, it wasn't that bad." Phoebe shot back._

"_Ha, how many times did I or Leo get yelled at for leaving the seat up?"_

"_It's common courtesy." _

"_It's dumb." He sat down crossing his arms, "and Phoebe…what are you doing out of bed? You know the doctor said you should be off your feet till the swelling goes down._

"_I'm pregnant Cole, not invalid." She paused looking around, "where's Nicholas?"_

"_With Paige," He said somewhat irritated, "Are you sure that's my kid? Like's his aunt way to much for my taste."_

"_Not my fault I'm so cool," Paige orbed in Nicholas holding her tightly, she moved forward and slapped Cole upside his head._

"_Yeah…sure..." _

_Nicholas moved down, and pulled on Piper's pant leg._

"_Aunty Piper, where's Wyatt, and Chris?"_

"_At Magic School, Honey."_

"_Oh…" He turned quickly to his dad, his eye's widening. Phoebe took a deep breathe, at the moment she saw so much of herself in that small boy._

"_No."  
"Pleeasse," _

"_No, last time you, Wyatt and Laina got together you almost exposed magic."_

"_I promise this time we won't, and besides Laina's at human school today."_

_Phoebe quickly pried through her memories, and found the event Cole was referring too._

"_It was Chris's Idea." Nicholas said pouting._

"_No it wasn't," Phoebe spoke up._

"_Ahh come on Mom."_

"_No, your dad's right…they still haven't cleaned up all the noodles."_

_She noticed the mischievous gleam in his smile. Noticing her looking Nicholas quickly frowned._

"_Alright…fine…" he perked up "I'll just go to Uncle Leo,"_

"_Nicho…" Cole sighed as the young boy shimmered away. _

"_I hope the next one isn't as much trouble," He leaned over and placed a kiss on Phoebe's belly grinning when he felt a kick. _

"_Oh yeah Jason called," he said, pushing back._

"_What he say."_

"_Don't know…don't really care."_

"_Cole!"_

"_Oooh someone's jealous." Paige whispered to Piper who nodded._

"_I'm not jealous, I just don't like the guy."_

"_Oh come on, he's not that bad," Phoebe said._

_He stared at her for a moment._

"_Don't look at me like that Cole."_

"_Phoebe, it's obvious he's crazy about you."_

"_Well to bad cause I'm crazy about you," she leaned in and kissed him on the lips, butterflies fluttering in her stomach._

"_Ewwww, get a room," Paige gagged._

"_Don't see me complaining when you and Henry get all mushy," Cole shot back._

"_Speaking of which" Paige glared, "next time…don't shimmer in…KNOCK!"_

"_Not that I saw anything interesting, beside" Cole shrugged his shoulders "you guys have a house," He stood up looking at the clock. "Well I've got to go to work, I'll see you later." _

"_Oh no, you don't buddy," Phoebe said, but a flash of pain flashed through her head and she swooned in place. Cole was quickly by her side, holding her hand._

"_Phoebe?" Worry evident in his voice._

"_I'm fine, just a little bit of dizziness," She smiled at him, but he didn't relax._

"_Maybe I should stay home?"_

"_No, go on…I just need some time to rest…that's all."_

"_Alright…I'll shimmer you up."_

"_No, don't worry about it…I'll be fine."_

"_Phoebe," _

"_Please, Cole…I'll be okay."_

_He watched her climb up the stairs._

"_What was that about?" He asked Piper. _

_She merely shrugged, "I'll check up on her later, you just go to work."_

_He nodded and disappeared._

"_Poor guy…still doesn't understand the whims of women." Paige commented._

"_It's probably just the premonition that's bothering her."_

"_I hope so…."_

* * *

_Phoebe had spent the rest of the afternoon in the room, trying her best to concentrate on her work. Piper and Paige had stopped by but Cole had been absent the entire day. She figured he was sort of put off and probably a little angry; she had called his office several times earlier, but was told that he was at a meeting, and couldn't take the calls._

_A yawn escaped her lips, and she leaned back slightly on a pillow._

'_How quaint the way's of Paradox,' she sat up quickly._

_A cold breeze pushed across her, and she moved back trying her hardest to ignore the lump that formed in her throat._

"_Who are you?"_

'_Ahh forgot me already?'_

_She tensed up._

'_Relax, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just here to make sure you do your job.'_

"_My Job?" She questioned, 'Of course, you're a witch, and you vanquish demons…you have two living under your roof right now.'  
The answer dawned on her and she began to panic._

'_Not, now…but later,' the voice whispered in her ears, and she turned quickly, but hunched over as pain shot up her stomach._

'_Not good, not good at all, wouldn't want anything happening to our precious baby girl,' the voice sneered._

_She turned looking, the shadows of her room stretching up._

'_You keep looking around, are you trying to find someone?'_

"_Where are you hiding?"_

'_Hiding…tch tch, dear I'm right here…I'm you.'_

"_No."_

'_Oh yes, I'm that part you've kept buried all this time…the part that wants to end this existence…their existence.'_

"_End it?"_

'_That's exactly what I plan to do.' The voice responded gleefully, and she shrunk back as she recognized the voice as her own._

"_Leave me alone," Phoebe grasped her head, shaking it from side to side._

'_You don't belong here…you know you don't, just a foolish dream, by a foolish woman.'_

"_This is real."_

'_Real? Do you honestly believe you deserve a life like this…you betrayed him already…you'll do it again.'_

"_No."_

'_Why not?'_

"_I love him…I love them."_

'_Sure as hell you have a funny way of proving it,' the sound of laughter filled the room._

"_STOP IT!"_

'_HAHAHAHAHAHA'_

"_STOP IT!" She screamed again, hugging her body closer together; silence._

"_Just stop it," She whispered, sleep tightening its grip around her…._

"_Please…just stop it." Tears crept from under her tired lids, falling unto the sheets; she continued to whisper those words, until the sandman took her._

_A shadow crept slightly over her, coalescing into a human form; Nuitari stepped out, his eyes regarding the woman that slept on the bed, taking in the face full of tears. _

_He positioned himself next to her, his eyes focusing on the window outside; twilight was at hand, and the orange glow of the sun burned his eyes. His hand reached out and softly brushed her hair, she mumbled softly…he wasn't sure how she had managed to get into here…but he would make sure she left painfully._

_This was his world, she would play by his rules…and she would suffer._

* * *

_Cole came home later in the afternoon trudging up the stairs. Phoebe was probably really mad at him, she had called several times and he had told his secretary to say he was at a meeting. Truth was he had spent the entire day in his office, too occupied with his thoughts to get any actually work done._

_She had been acting strange since earlier this morning, at first he had brushed her reaction as nothing more then a side-effect of the demon attack, but now he wasn't so sure…there were times were she was the woman he loved…and other times; perhaps the premonition had shook her more then he had thought._

_He stopped at his door his hand hovering over the handle, as he heard soft crying coming from inside. _

"_Phoebe" He asked gently, the lack of an answer had him bursting through the door. A sigh escaped his lips as he saw that she was still asleep, albeit rather restlessly._

"_Honey," He moved to her side and stopped when he noticed the tears, his fingers quickly brushed them away. Phoebe moaned softly, and opened her eyes meeting his blue ones._

"_Cole?"_

"_Yeah, are you…." He stopped abruptly when she flung her arms around her neck and pulled him tighter._

"_Whoa…" he said pulling her off him gently. "What was that?"_

_She blushed slightly, and leaned in closer to him, "Nothing…just a nightmare I had…that's all."_

"_Well…I know the doctor said to stay off your feet…but I think we can make an exception for tonight…get dress I made dinner reservations at that new expensive French restaurant that just opened."_

"_You didn't have too," She whispered._

"_Of course I did, you've been cooped up in this house for too long."_

_Phoebe stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, glee evident on her face as she headed for the door._

"_You know," Cole said, watching her stop at the door._

"_You never told me what your life was like without me." She noticed the hint of sorrow in his tone, and she smiled that smile that he loved._

"_Trust me…it was nothing special…."_

* * *

_The dinner had been perfect, though the she could have gone without the bathroom breaks, nevertheless she had enjoyed her self and Cole was simply satisfied to see a smile on her face._

_Night loomed in on them as they had returned to the manor; now finding themselves sitting comfortably together. Leo and Piper were asleep as were the children._

"_Do you love me?" His words cut through the darkness were they sat together, his arms wrapped around her._

"_Yes." She responded, and snuggled closer, the warm glow of the fireplace, relaxed her bones, and she sighed as he slowly massaged her back._

"_Do you love me?" She asked back._

_She waited patiently for an answer, "sometimes…." He murmured._

_She slapped his leg, and he let out a chuckle._

"_Not funny."_

"_I thought it was."_

"_Doesn't matter what you think." She shot back, miffed at his joke._

"_I'm just playing honey, you know I do." He leaned in and kissed the back of her neck._

"_Cole…" her voice cut through the darkness, "hmm?" she turned to him, unsure of what to say, "I'm sorry…for vanquishing you." She stammered out._

_He chuckled "That again? Come on Phoebe it's not the first time you've had tried." Cole paused thinking back._

"_Remember when Andras possessed me?"_

"_Not my fault," She responded indignantly, "you were trying to kill us."_

"_And the time with the banshees?" _

"_I thought you were evil then." _

"_I know, and you did what you thought was right, I could never hold that against you." He leaned forward and kissed her lips._

_She pulled away, and gazed into the fire, "This life…it just seems too…perfect…like something is going to go wrong."_

"_Well whatever does, well face it together…like everything else we have." He whispered sleepily._

_She continued to stare into the fire, and nodded slowly, a tear falling from her eye._

'_You've been crying a lot lately, don't ya think?'_

_That voice._

'_Ooo…thought it was a dream huh.'_

_Phoebe glanced fearfully around, and felt a cold breeze wrap itself around her wrist. _

'_Tonight's the night; you do what we talked about.'_

"_No," she whispered._

'_You're talking as if you have a choice in the matter…correction it is your choice.'_

_An athame flashed in her hand, and she fearfully dropped it on the ground._

'_Pick it up.'_

_Instead she backed away, edging closer to Cole shaking his leg in hopes that he would wake up._

'_He's still sleeping dear; he's too much at peace now.' The voice whispered giggling._

'_Now, pick it up…and end it.'_

_Phoebe gathered her courage, "I refuse."_

'_You what? You don't refuse this is your idea, it's your desire.'_

"_I don't want this."_

'_What's changed…not your love for him?'_

"_Yes my love for him," She whispered and realized how hypocritical she sounded._

'_Noticed it too…it was never enough…our exact words if I remember.' The voice said vehemently. 'Now…kill him….'_

_She felt a strange force wrap itself around her, and the athame was once again in her hand, her body leaning over Cole's slumped shape._

'_Do it.'  
The tears came down harder, and her heart wrenched with every beat._

'_DO IT.'_

_With a swift motion she planted the athame in his chest, and cried even harder as she saw the blood pump from the wound. His eye's fluttered and looked at her, surprise, anger._

"_I'm so sorry." Her words flowed to him, he reached his hands out to her his eyes penetrating; questioning."_

_She felt his thumb brush her cheek, and watched with grief as it slumped back down his eyes closing, as flames consumed his body. Phoebe chocked back a sob, and rubbed her hands across her eyes, retching on the floor._

'_Now relax, it's not the time to fall apart, we're not done yet.'_

"_What?"_

'_Oh yes, we have another little bundle of Joy to deal with.'_

_A flash of light and she found herself in Nicholas room, the athame shining pale in the moonlight._

'_Kill him'_

_Phoebe pushed back, and almost screamed when she felt the force push back._

"_I won't…."_

'_You will, and not with the athame, you'll make it slower. Just like before.'_

_She found her body moving to a pillow raising it over her head._

"_STOP IT." Her voice no longer her own, instead she found herself looking from the inside, watching her body lowering the pillow. She watched with horror as the young body jerked under the pillow, and she cried._

_The body stopped moving, and she lifted the pillow; the sight of her son, still; no longer breathing ripped into her very soul._

"_Shut up, you didn't cry before. It's the same," Her voice echoed through the room._

'_No it's not the same,' she screamed, instead a laugh erupted from the room._

'_It's not the same.' She screamed again._

"_Don't worry it will all be over." Phoebe could only watch as the athame rose through the air, her hand holding it tightly. Her heart beat rising as the athame plunged deep, her maternal instincts twisting as she felt the heartbeat of her child stop._

_Darkness took her, as she fell back. Tears mingled with the blood on the floor and her eyes closed._

_Nuitari stepped out of the shadows, his breathe coming out in shallow gasps. His heart pained him, and all types of emotions overwhelmed him. Yet this time he let them, he let the rage consume him, he allowed the grief to cover him, and he let the hate support him._

_Once again the darkness grew, and the black moon shed tears of sorrow._

_Definition of Mortality: The acceptance of power despite the consequences._

* * *

Okay that's chapter 8. WOW that was long, but I liked it, though any idea's how to make the Phoebe scene more emotional I would truly appreciate. 

I know it seemed like a little bit of Phoebe bashing, I usually try to be partial towards all my fan fiction characters, but unfortunately for her I had the displeasure of seeing Centennial Charmed again, and I just had to write this part.


	9. Musings of The God

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN CHARMED OR DRAGONLANCE.

* * *

Side-Chapter 1

_Musings of a God_

* * *

"You know were gonna die right?" Lunatari muttered as she watched the approaching humans their bodies burning with magic forms twisting and moaning. She sat on the grass field, the light of all three moons pale within the sky, as if sensing the inevitable doom.

"Pretty much yeah," Solinari said calmly, sword in hand glowing brightly.

"Were Immortal, we helped forged the fires of creation, the very heavens sing our praises; I'm pretty sure we can take on a couple of human brimming with power." Nuitari issued, as he leaned against a pillar; his golden eyes surveyed the field with calm fury.

"You don't believe that," Lunatari said turning to her cousin, as she brushed a strand of black hair from her red eyes. Nuitari merely shrugged.

Solinari let out a sigh, "Honestly Nuitari…what were you thinking…helping them with something like that."

"I thought it would be funny."

"Funny, funny like the time you sent a meteor and destroyed the reptilians." Lunatari said and smacked her younger cousin on the head.

"Sons of bitches had it coming," Nuitari shouted back, angrily rubbing the back of his head.

"They won the bet fair and square," Solinari said, his eyes never leaving the approaching forms.

"They cheated; I know they cheated Super Seer here remember?"

"And you didn't see this coming?" Lunatari questioned incredulously.

"Time is like an Ocean…." Nuitari began.

"SHUT UP!" Both cousins shouted at once.

Properly chastised Nuitari pouted.

Silence stretch between them for hours, or minutes…they were immortal the concept of time really didn't mean much to them.

The bodies approached every so slowly, as if mocking them with the death and ever lasting limbo that was to come.

"So…" Nuitari said breaking the silence, completely oblivious to the glares the other two sent at him. "So since were immortal and all, doesn't that mean even if we lose these forms we can come back right?" He turned his gaze to the others, "I mean maybe they can absorb magic now, but were like infinite supplies of magic. They can't absorb all of that, after a couple of millenniums and such if we find the right gates or whatever…we can come back."  
The other two contemplated this revelation, "and how do you suppose we do that?" Nuitari asked.

"Well…okay you know how magic works, you get the right forces together and you get something pretty amazing. So we pick whatever combinations that will have enough power."

"He's gone crazy," Lunatari muttered and turned away.

"No really check it out, we just make prophecies." Nuitari finished proudly.

Solinari let out another sigh, and sat down next to Lunatari who punched him on the arm softly.

"Guys were omnipotent so why not? We'll be powerful…they'll call us…the Charmed Ones. Solinari will be he who is twice blessed, I'll be the child charmed thrice and Lunatari…hallowed once." He finished proudly.

"Once," She muttered and glanced over at him. "Couldn't come up with something better?" Her eyes blazed with fire, and Nuitari shrunk back.

"Oops too late, I've already done it."

"You idiot," She lunged at him; luckily Solinari was there to hold her back.

"Lunatari calm down, we need him."

"I'm not quite sure we do." She seethed.

Nuitari lowered his arms, "but look its done so were set."

"This is stupid," Lunatari muttered, "You owe me."

"Fine, fine; I'll make it up to you somehow." Nuitari bowed his head.

"Shh, their here," Solinari motioned with his hands. All three quickly stood up, and Nuitari took the front, his body covered with black flames of death.

"You mortals dare challenge the God's," He uttered his voice echoing through the heavens, thunder roared and lightening flashed. Wind picked up, and his cloak flapped around him.

"God he's so dramatic," Lunatari whispered to Solinari.

"Got to admit though, he's pretty good." Solinari whispered leaning over.

Nuitari pointed his arm towards the heavens, the staff of Magius appearing in his hand.

"THOU SHALT NOT PAST!" His voice thundered and with a swift movement he plunged the staff into the ground. The humans stopped in their tracks, fear etched into their faces.

"See told ya we'd be alright." Nuitari said proudly.

"Famous last words," Solinari muttered as the human forces having conquered their fear rushed in.

* * *

Writers block, but apparently my muse is still here to taunt me…sigh….I'm still working on Chapter 9 or 9 and a half as it is now, but I'm a little stuck. So I might take a break after that chapter and focus on my other stories specifically the one I have on Kingdom Hearts, and Inuyasha. Don't worry I'm not gonna abandon this story, It will be my main focus, but for awhile I need to relax. 


	10. Love and Fate or something

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Dragon Lance…but I do own this story so booyah. This chapter has some adult like content, nothing too serious but just a warning for you guys maybe one curse word, and a little sexual reference.

Thanks for the reviews greatly appreciated and helpful.

* * *

Chapter 9

Love and Fate

* * *

_Better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all._

_Dude...shut up. _

* * *

"Phoebe…"

"Phoebe…"

"PHOEBE…."

She woke up with a start and Cole was automatically at her side, he curbed his heart beat, as he refrained from grabbing her into his arms to calm her. It didn't help much of her reaction when she saw him.

"Cole?" At first she thought it was the man that she had just murdered, her heart wrenched at the memory, and she grasped him to her. She waited patiently for his arms, for him to whisper that she was safe, that he loved her. Instead she felt coldness looked up into his eyes, and the realization hit her, he wasn't the same; this Cole was unshaven, his hair a complete mess, and the look of a man who had gone days without a decent nights rest…she screamed.

Cole jumped back, and she quickly climbed out of bed ready to fight.

"Cole what are you doing here."

"Phoebe calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, why aren't you dead…I killed you…."

"Phoebe…." He stared at her for a moment and moved a little closer.

"Don't come near me…." She hissed, and without turning to look she ran out the door.

Cole sighed, and slumped back into his seat, his emotions conflicted.

She had seemed so happy to see him at first, the way she had grabbed him. But it was probably from a dream…or a nightmare…more then likely she was downstairs right now trying to concoct some type of potion to get rid of him.

Sure as hell wouldn't be a good idea to stay around and find out.

* * *

"Phoebe calm down." Piper urged her younger sister, "Calm down…CALM DOWN!" Phoebe turned to Piper staring her straight in the eye…. "Piper you brought back my dead ex-husband…."

"Actually I really just released him."

"Released him?" Phoebe muttered incredulously.

Piper swallowed nervously "You remember the time I died and ended up in Limbo…."

"Yeah…"

"Well there was something I didn't tell you…about the old friend."

"It was Cole wasn't it…that's how he convinced you to release him, preyed on the fact that he helped you."

"No…"

"Then he what cast a spell?"

"No…." Piper muttered agitated.

"Then why Piper, why in all that is pure and good would you release that…that man?"

"That reason was upstairs yesterday, and stuck his hands through your stomach!" Piper shouted.

Phoebe quieted down, and abruptly sat down. Piper moved to her side, and slowly rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry honey…I didn't."

"That was, I felt it from his emotions he didn't say anything but I knew…he was my son…mines and…."

"Mine." Cole's stepped down the stairs and stood opposite of the sisters, he ignored the scowl that Piper sent at him, instead his gaze focused on Phoebe. She met his eyes for a moment, but quickly lowered them before he could read what she was thinking…or feeling.

Phoebe could sense Cole's emotions; they were rough, painful, and incredibly raw. She pushed her own back down, trying to calm down her racing heart. Must have been because of the dream, the dream were the man she loved…and married, was still alive…and loved her as well.

"We need to find him," Cole spoke, interrupting Phoebe's thoughts.

"And then what?" Piper asked staring at him as if he was foolish, "didn't you see what he did upstairs? Heck even the big bosses are nervous…and he has the book of shadows."

Phoebe looked up alarmed.

"He took it after he knocked us out." Piper explained

"He touched it…" Hope shown in Phoebe's eyes, "Doesn't that mean he isn't evil…maybe?"

"No," Cole looked away, "It just means that he doesn't plan to use the book for evil. He's Halliwell blood, the book wouldn't know how to respond, and with his powers…who knows…."

"Maybe it's a spell…maybe that's why…."

Cole barked out a laugh, "You were so dead set that he was evil before he was even born…now what's so different?" His eyes narrowed, and Phoebe shivered from the coldness they radiated; the similarities between the eyes were shocking, and it took so much for her not to simply crumble from the scrutinizing gaze.

"It is a spell, what's his name…Simelan, he cast a spell." Cole focused on Piper, "did he say what type?"

"Tempus animus," Piper responded, and Cole let out a sigh.

"You can't break that without the power of three, and I doubt he'll let us get close enough to break it…did he say how long ago he cast it?"

"No,"

"Damn it…there's a time limit on these type of spells after enough time they are impossible to break, no matter how hard you try." Cole paced the floor, trying not to cast a glance at Phoebe.

"So we need to find him…" Phoebe stated, "I want…" she paused and swallowed pushing down the lump in her throat, "I want my son back."

"He's not staying here." Cole interrupted his back facing the sisters. He could feel their eyes burning into his back, and Piper let out a growl.

"When he…when we fix this…I leave..." "Fine" Phoebe shot back, and shrugged her shoulders.

"With him," Cole turned to them his eyes hardening, and without a word he shimmered away.

* * *

"What do you see?" Nuitari gazed at the oracle before him, her hands over a glowing orb.

"I thought you were blessed with the gift of foresight my lord?" Illiria responded, desperately attempting to hide the sneer that lay underneath.

"Time is not a river for me, as it is for you mortals," Nuitari wheezed, "to me it is an ocean, with each event influencing countless others."

He sat straighter, his hand wiping away the small droplets of blood that hung from his lips.

"I see nothing…my lord…the future…I see nothing." She edged away, her head bowed low.

Nuitari moved to her, and brushed a strand of her red hair from her face. Her green eyes avoided his, and her pale skin burned from the heat that radiated from his hand. His thumb moved over her lips, and she grimaced from the pain that shot through them.

"You're lying," he finished forcing her chin up, and her eyes met his.

"No my lord, never…" She said faintly, her heart pounded within her chest and she bit her tongue to stop herself from crying from the heat that rose through her body.

He leaned to her, and brushed his tongue slowly across her skin, she finally cried out as the pain increased; her eyes seeing bright lights.

"You taste like a liar and your mind attempts to block my own." His grip tightened, and with she felt herself lifted into the air, his eyes a pale white hue.

"What did you see Oracle?" He questioned, removing his hand from her chin, she remained hoisted in the air.

"I saw nothing just as the former Seer saw nothingness, when the Source freed the hollow."

"I do not plan to free it."

"You cannot honestly hope to control it; its powers are too great…."

"I would know…they are mine," He turned away holding his hand close to his body, to attempting to stop its shaking."

"The bane of the Gods," She whispered, and painfully fell to the floor, his body bending over her own.

"Yes; ignorance of mortality with the infallibility of the God's; its very essence screams chaos and order. A paradox…that would bring my…our demise," Nuitari's eyes glazed over. "I want it back…and you are going to tell me how to get it back."

"In return…." She whispered daringly.

"I make you the Source, by name if not by power."

Illiria gazed at him, as if he was insane, "How…the Grimoire is gone…and even if…why would you?"

Nuitari reached his hand out, and a black book appeared within his hands, and she eyed it hungrily. When she reached for it though, it disappeared with a puff of smoke.

"Tell me…and it is yours."

She contemplated how many females had ever had the chance to be the Source? How many would give their lives for this opportunity.

"Deep within the recesses of the wasteland, and within the belly of the beast," Nuitari nodded happily.

"The book," She demanded and froze, his eyes stared into hers and she could feel the heat rising around her body. He moved closer and pressed his lips to hers; she uttered a cry of pain and surprised, and bit down on his lip. Blood pooled within her mouth and she chocked as it burned down her throat, she attempted to struggle but the pain only kept her frozen in place; the pain only seemed to increase as he left her, and she felt a the heat reside leaving her with a feeling of completeness, but also a deeper sense of emptiness.

Nuitari pulled away, and licked his lips the wound healing instantly. "Here," he waved his hand and the book appeared within her hand.

"What did you do?" She stuttered out, frightened but amazed at the power that she felt coursing through her veins.

"Come now…an Oracle…as the Source, you wouldn't last a day. I gave you something extra…a little boost. Now leave, I have thing's to attend to."

Illiria bowed deeply, and vanished in flames.

"The wasteland," Nuitari contemplated, it wasn't a world one walked into; even with his powers its access was still barred; an athame flashed into his hand, and with a quick movement cut deep into his right palm.

The blood sizzled on the floor, and the forms three wolf like beings rose from the steam. Their dark forms bowed before their master, the tentacles growing from their heads flayed around, and the blackened eyes swiveled deeply within the sockets.

"Go," Nuitari announced, "and bring me the Hollow."

Their piercing howl echoed throughout the cavern, he could feel their protests and cries, but he ignored them instead imposing his will; the loud keening howl lowered into a deeper pitch and they melted into the shadows.

* * *

Cole stood on top of the Golden Gate Bridge; his eye's surveying the city below him. The clouds blocked the moon, and stars and cold breezes fluttered around him.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered under his breath. The wind picked up and whistled as if in agreement. There was nothing that he could do that justified what he had done…the way he had acted; except maybe pure defense, fear.

"Could be worst, you could be dead…again." The voice floated to him, and he turned the black flames flashing around his hands again.

"Calm down dad, I'm not here to fight." Nuitari appeared standing besides him, the cloak replaced with a black overcoat, a white shirt underneath and black jeans. Noticing the pointed stare, he smiled at his father the very smile that showed more of his mother then he would ever care to admit.

"I thought it would be nice to try to fit in, being part human and all; by the way how's mom? Awake by now, I'm sure."

Cole grabbed him by the scruff of the shirt, and lifted him up.

"What did you do to her," he hissed between clenched teeth.

"Nothing, nothing she was just somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. She's back safely right? Maybe with five little scars but that's all." He pried the fingers from his clothing, Cole flinched slightly from the iron-like grip; and back away as his son brushed his body down, a disappointed sigh escaping his lips as he looked at the wrinkles.

"You tried to kill us." Cole stated

"Not really, if I had honestly wanted you dead…you'd be dead." He turned to his father, "I'm a god remember? Anything you humans can do I can do better." Looking up into the sky he let out a wistful sigh

"The magic's eating away at you, if you don't let me help…you'll die," Cole stated.

"I'm fine, just a little incomplete; you know how demonic essences are if they aren't complete…well things tend to find a place to settle in."

"You don't want to do that…you aren't evil, but if you give into your demonic impulses you will be."

"You've forgiven me already…even after everything I've done to mum and you?" Nuitari said, his voice trembling mockingly.

Cole scowled. "I'm going to save you."

"Save me? Oh dear, big daddy to the rescue just as always," Nuitari turned smirking, "I'm pretty sure it's that attitude that led to this very situation now." He quieted down, and waved his hand through the air, parting the clouds allowing the pale light of the moon to embrace him.

"Come and save me dad," Nuitari whispered his back heaving softly, "Do all you can to save me, and when you fail…like always…" He turned and Cole looked away from the eyes that cried tears of blood.

"When you fail…I'll be there to make sure you remember every moment of it." Nuitari approached Cole his hands tightening into fists.

He relaxed visibly and let out a breath and pulled in a deeper one.

"But for now…go home…get some rest…enjoy life…it's probably gonna be pretty short." The chilling smile appeared back on his lips, but Cole stared back defiantly.

Nuitari shrugged his shoulders, and started to fade away, "By the way tell mom I say hi won't ya?"

* * *

Phoebe stared at her computer screen and let out an exasperated sigh; a family trait really, they all had it, the inability to complete anything until a deadline was glaring its ugly head at them. She had basically turned all her insights complete to her work; the disappearing of Coleridge was met with indifference, his existence basically wiped from everyone's memory. Perhaps for the best it would be difficult for someone to explain that their missing partner was actually their supposedly dead son, out for revenge.

She let out another sigh, her thoughts once again turning to him; the past months had gone by but no information had new information had risen, things were quite even peaceful…unless if one counts the increase in demonic activity; the Underworld had apparently managed to gain itself a new Source but this one apparently wasn't an idiot or obsessive; at first she had feared that he had placed himself upon the demonic hierarchies; but it was just another Source; She let out a laugh at the thought; when had the dangers of her life become so routine that she really could just dismiss them so quickly?

Paige joked and said something along the lines of the new Source being a woman; none of them had really found the idea funny.

Life went on, as it always did; existence really didn't care much about your problems; you could either let them eat at you, or just ignore them. Unfortunately for her they were eating away. Slowly of course because misery and utter damnation always took time to simmer till perfection.

Cole wasn't helping either, and she hated him for it; staying at the house avoiding her at every turn. The only time they had managed to stay in a room together had erupted into one huge family commotion, in between the, "I hate you's and you ruined my life" the entire family somehow managed to get sucked into it. Paige now three months pregnant and already pretty moody referred to Cole as "demonic backstabbing son of a bitch." To which he responded with a crack about her girth and how he was surprised that it took people so long to figure out she was pregnant since he could tell from miles away; Phoebe ever at her sisters defense made a crack about his sexual performance; in anger he shot back that it hadn't really taken his "demonic backstabbing son of a bitch" self much to get her back into bed. The result ended with Cole disappearing for nearly a week, Paige sulking and eating, Piper refusing to talk to anyone and it took Leo ever the pacifist to finally manage to bring them all together.

Simelan the new resident demon shook his head at the whole matter and muttered something about how was it possible that such a dysfunctional mortal family managed to stay alive. He received a sound yelling at, and he collapsed in a dead faint when Piper threatened to explode his manhood.

After that, things went back to normal; Cole and Paige grudgingly made peace, but he refused to even acknowledge her when she inched forward to whisper an "I'm sorry."

Somehow just thinking about the memory pissed her off, how dare he just ignore her like that, yes she could understand his pain; she was an empath for crying out loud. But he didn't have to be so damned rude to her, he owed her that at least.

she found herself attempting to make him jealous, didn't know why but she felt that she needed to; going as far as to bring her dates home late at night when she knew he was around and making out with as loudly as she possibly could. One time she thought she had managed to catch a glimpse of jealousy in his eyes but it was gone and replaced with indifference, and a little bit of what seemed like disgust. She had sent the poor guy home not knowing what he had done wrong, stomped up to Cole stared him straight in the eye and asked him if he was happy…and the bastard…because that was what he was, had the gall to shrug his shoulders and say the business of spoiled sexually-desperate witches was not his business.

And then he shimmered…or whatever it was his powers did; he knew it pissed them off and he took great pleasure in doing so. In fact the only one who seemed happy to have him around the house was Piper…and the boys who had picked up the annoying habit of calling him "Uncle Cole." Chris had even asked if he was going to marry Phoebe during breakfast and she had almost chocked on her eggs. She of course brushed it off as the imaginations of a little boy, but she couldn't help the blush that had crept on her face, or the heat that she had felt between her legs.

No matter what jokes she made about his sexual performance, she was lying, she was lying lower then the deepest sections of the underworld, and she knew it…worst he knew it. So what was she supposed to do then? Continue to pretend that she wasn't attracted to him; 'sexually' her mind hissed, and she nodded frantically, of course sexually; there could never be anything more between them it just wouldn't work.

That little dream sequence of hers had been too damn real; her feelings were probably just stemming from her dream counter part. Yeah that was the problem, she turned her gaze at the computer screen the words mingling floating and forming a very familiar face, "THAT BASTARD."

* * *

Down stairs Piper and Leo cast a glance at each other and erupted into giggles. Cole shimmered in and stared at the giggling couple and took a seat at the table.

"Well speak of the devil…erm ex devil." Piper grinned, and Cole's look of confusion only served to send the two into another fit of giggles.

"What?"

"Oh nothing, its just that now wouldn't be a good time for you be here…especially since Phoebe seems a little piss." Leo said

Cole shrugged his shoulders, "I don't care…she's been nagging me constantly lately acting like a spoiled little b…" he cast a glance a Piper who's eyes narrowed "brat…like a spoiled brat." He finished lamely and turned his gaze to the kitchen floor tiles.

"You know how she is Cole."

"She's wasn't like this when I was with her."

"Phoebe's always been like this, trust me." Piper muttered.

"It's like she thinks she owns me or something," they noted the tired look in his eyes, and Leo pulled his hand over his mouth to hide a smirk.

"Anything in the Underworld," Piper asked quickly changing the subject, Cole shook his head no no.

"Any info on the new Source," "well…one…." Cole said and laughed a little, "What?"

"Well turns out the new Source of All Evil, is a female." He snickered a little.

"And what's wrong with that?" Piper snarled and her hands moved threateningly.

"Nothing it's just that…it's unheard of."

"Chauvinistic Pig," Piper shook her head, and she turned her nose up at him. "What, I didn't mean it like that…it's just things might get really interesting around here."

"You call getting attacked by demons on a regular basis…interesting,"

"Well it's not like their strong enough to kill you guys, so I'm sure whoever this woman is you'll get her in a couple of months." "Humph," Piper stomped away but not before Cole noticed the smirk on her face.

Leo shook his head "you really know how to kiss ass don't you?"

Cole flashed him a smile, "The Source wasn't a demon who took insults well, I had to figure out how to get out of trouble some how." He closed his eyes, and Leo again noticed the tired look on his face and shook his head.

"So…when are you and Phoebe gonna be able to have a civilized conversation without trying to kill each?"

Cole opened his eyes "I don't remember you lacking so much…tact Leo."

The whitelighter shrugged, "So…."

"When hell freezes over," he replied nonchalantly.

"Literally or figuratively," Leo pried, and Cole raised an eyebrow.

* * *

"I wonder," Paige questioned stroking her belly gently as she rested on the living room chair; "Wonder what?" Piper asked taking a sip of hot chocolate as they both sat enjoying an unusually quiet demon free afternoon.

"When Cole is going to figure out that Phoebe is just trying to wrap him around her finger again." Paige shook her head sadly, she knew her sister and was pretty sure that she wasn't aware she was doing it; but the signs were obvious.

"Well if she does it's going to be Cole's fault. He'll bitch and moan about it; pretend that we are out to make his life a living hell," "aren't we?" Paige asked in surprised, Piper ignored her, "but if they do get back together," "I doubt it," Paige muttered, "Well if they do it's going to be his entire fault."

"How so," Paige questioned.

"Phoebe's spoiled Paige, don't give me that look you and I both know it and it his fault really; coming back from the dead and trying to convince her about their never ending undying love. Deep down she still believes she owns him," Paige stared at her and Piper shrugged her shoulders. "She's going to keep acting like this until he final admits that he still loves her."

"Doesn't that mean that she still loves him too?"

"With Phoebe…who knows, Cole will probably admit he loves her and then she'll go sulking for a couple of days maybe weeks, and in the end they'll either get back together," Paige grimaced, "or they'll kill each other." Piper finished and calmly took a sip of the chocolate.

Paige shook her head, "you know sometimes…I really feel sorry for Cole."

Piper looked at her surprised, "What, maybe I don't like the guy…but when's he's not being an ass…he can be a pretty cool."

"The kids think so too," Piper retorted.

"Yeah…Uncle Cole," Paige snickered, and Piper grinned.

"It's not like he wouldn't have been," Piper said turned her gaze into the fire.

"We did what we had to do…" Paige said a haunted look in her eye; Piper nodded, "I know it's just if he had been around who knows how many things would've been different…better."  
Paige looked away, "how so?" Her voice hardened.

Piper smiled and understood; when Paige had joined the family she had the whole notion of good and evil, simply black and white; she hadn't had the chance to warm up to Cole, who had managed…fought to make himself a part of that family.

"I don't know…but he always managed to see his way around things; secrets, lies, maybe he could've stopped Gideon, you know stopped what happen. Maybe Chris wouldn't have to come back and…." Piper cut off, and wiped her eye.

"Oh honey I'm sorry." Paige said, Piper shook her head; "but look, things changed; you have him and Wyatt, they aren't evil."

"And Phoebe's son is; he killed those women Paige; I didn't tell Cole or Phoebe, how the murders were connected with him; but she'll find out. How do you think they'll be able to stand killing their own child?"

Paige looked uncomfortable, "she did…once."

"That was different the seer had her convinced, after everything that was going on and what she was going through; it was simple for the seer to convince her otherwise. This time she knows he is hers; and she'll do anything to protect him."

"She's changed; she may actually vanquish him if we can't turn him back."

"Can we even vanquish him Paige; he's a god, and if Phoebe does manage somehow to vanquish him…she'll never recover…not from this one."

"Somehow I feel like saying its all Cole's fault," Paige sighed and leaned back catching Piper's disappointed gaze, "What I didn't say it was…."

Piper shook her head and took another sip of chocolate her gaze turned to the fire that burned bright.

"Piper…why aren't we really worried about the book of shadows," Paige questioned after awhile.

"The book can't be used by evil,"

"But he can use it,"

"Not for evil."

"Oh."

"Still, it's very unlike you I mean lately you've been really…" Paige stopped searching for a word to describe her sister, "serene."

Piper shrugged, "we all have our secrets" and winked at Paige.

* * *

Okay that's chapter 9…or 10 whichever one It's short I know, I'm gonna take a little break on the story to gather thoughts and focus on my other writing…or I might not and actually just keep going on with this story; anyway I just need new plans and storylines so anyone feel like helping greatly appreciated. 


	11. To Err is Human

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or DragonLance, they are of course owned by their respective owners…ya know the drill.

* * *

_Chapter 11_

_To err is human._

* * *

If there was one thing Piper knew about it was mistakes. She made them, her sisters made them, Leo made them. Demons who resided in the deepest circles of hell to the highest supreme power of made mistakes. In the end that is what truly tied them to mortality and it was usually the job of those who were close to them to keep them from rushing in head first into a steel wall; sometimes you succeeded and sometimes you failed. Piper wasn't a woman who failed, and when things didn't go her way one would argue that she got pushy. So as she watched Cole and Phoebe bicker and bite and scratch and overall tear away at each other…she decided to do something about it. 

Leo said it was a bad idea, she responded with a "who asked you?" Paige hoping to somehow curb her older sister sided with Leo, but of course despite her incessant nagging and attempts to persuade Piper's mind was made up.

Simple, brilliant, the most extravagant plan that any individual could possibly had come up with in this type of situation she spent the entire day hinting at it, and Paige and Leo were wary about what disasters would happen, what personal gain rules would be crushed. All she did really was lock them in a room. No one got in, no one got out.

It failed. Of course Piper would never admit it, but Lord on high knows it failed. After an hour the fight that broke could only be described as epic. Again the "I hate you's" and "you ruined my life" came out, instead this time coupled with a couple of low blow punches pertaining about the idiocy of their whole entire relationship. Cole on edge finally muttered that the whole reason that he ever stayed with Phoebe was because the sex was good, and he was a fugitive and needed somewhere to stay. Phoebe in response said the only reason she stayed with him is because he was a good way to get back at her sisters.

Nerves frayed and on edge, Piper finally opened the door and let the two out. Hatred flowed between the two, but Phoebe's empathy picked up something deeper; a little spark of sorrow, disappointment, and love. She stared at Cole's eye's and quickly pulled back as she felt a metal bar crash down in front of his emotions, effectively sealing her off.

It only pushed her more. He loved her, and she relished the thought; he could prance around, glare daggers at her, but she was satisfied he still loved her. Cole loved her and she lived. Of course far be it from her to respond to that love.

Cole knew the game she was playing, it was her way; she would nag, push, and bite bitterly until he admitted that he loved her. Oh he did, he knew he did; but it would be another cold day in the confines of the underworld before he ever said those words out loud…or would it.

He considered his options, keep denying Phoebe and she would drive him crazy; and possibly drive him to murder. But, what if he responded the way she wanted, not emotionally but sexually; oh he knew she wanted him, and at first he made himself uninterested, disdained and as remote as possible, but it was a losing battle. As every movement she made, every breath she took; the styles of her hair, and the way she purposely swung her hips while walking knowing damn well it was setting his senses on fire; she was driving him mad…again. Piper sensed it of course, that unholy tie still not worn down despite the three months that had gone by. So she took it upon her self to play the role of big sister for him and Phoebe; referring fights, and setting them up in situations that they really shouldn't be in.

Like the goblin attacks that they had to deal with during the uprising of the new source. Fun fact about goblins, when they explode they tend to go very messily. It wasn't a big threat and he was pretty sure the sisters could have dealt with it without him, but for some strange reason Piper used this as an excuse to train his new powers, "find out how powerful they really were" she said. Cole wasn't fooled; it was nothing more but a plot to get him and Phoebe together in the same general vicinity without them trying to kill each other. He stated so to Piper who denied it vehemently, shook her head in sadness wondering out loud how he could distrust her after all the faith that she had shown in him; but it only became even more obvious when she had Paige orb her away, leaving him and Phoebe to find their own method of transportation.

Cole shrugged his shoulders, and said that she should just call Leo or something saying he wasn't interested in vanquishing demons. Phoebe muttered something about him probably wanting something to rule over when he went evil again. Knowing his temper would probably get the better of him…he set his plan into action. Yes it was childish, idiotic, and completely beneath a being who was over a hundred years old; but damnit she had it coming. So pulling all the lessons of manipulation and seduction that he had learned, he pulled her close to him holding her tight, his head leaned over hers, and his breath coming out in short ragged gasps; ignoring her protests he shimmered after Piper and Paige.

When they arrived he quickly let go of her, but not before he caught the small sigh that escaped her lips; he hadn't had time to worry about that though as a crazed goblin ran at him screaming; a sweep of his hand and it disappeared behind the black flames flaring from his palms. The fight continued for about five minutes; goblins weren't really any trouble and no doubt Piper had exaggerated the entire story of how they had managed to obtain several important artifacts that could be used to destroy the world, it really just turned out to be thousands of Cher albums…who this Cher was he did not know, but honestly she could not be that bad.

The fight continued and somehow, by some fluke or some stroke of luck Phoebe ended up in his arms. Electricity flowed between them, and he pulled her closer to his body, and this time she did not struggle. His blue eyes caught her wide brown ones, and he allowed himself to be pulled in; her empathy was on fire as with every fiber of her being she relished his emotions, lust, desire, love so passionate that her body heated up to an unprecedented degree; Cole leaned closer his lips a few short distance from hers, he could feel the heat from her, could feel the aching for him her body wanted. It was just the two of them, Piper and Paige forgotten in the background, as their lips approached each other. Two inches, one inch, ten centimeters; and for a brief moment their lips touched before Cole had unceremoniously dropped her.

He snickered at the memory, the look on Phoebe's face as she sputtered on the ground; Piper in the background trying to hold back a laugh and an enraged Paige at the same time. He had leaned over Phoebe whispering in her ear about spoiled sexually-desperate witches, flashed a dazzling smile and shimmered away.

* * *

Mortals made mistakes, it wasn't really their fault it was just the design. Faulty one would dare to say, but unlike the other creatures within the realms that tend to learn from their mistakes and were willing to work on the issues to reach some form of peace, mortals were not blessed with that particular skill. Instead like moths to a flame they simply returned and committed the same act again. 

Cole Turner should have known better; He had died two times, very few demons and not many mortals could even claim doing that, and each time he came back even more powerful; though one shouldn't forget that each of his death experience had occurred because he had on some level managed to get on Phoebe's bad side, managing a to draw out a part of her that she would rather have kept hidden; but apparently he thought as they say third times a charm…pardon the pun… he was sinking deep down in to unruly territory, and as every morning he made some form of advance on Phoebe only to seal himself off again, as each word he spoke drove her closer to the edge of unwitting lust, she grew angrier.

Empathy works on one key level and explanation, no one can control their emotions; oh you can suppress them, and you can even block them; but with empathy what you felt wasn't some farce it was real and Phoebe knew that. Emotions don't just pop out of thin air, and that he could block her from sensing them it didn't make them any less real.

To err is human, and Phoebe was as human as one could possibly get. Maybe it was the fact that her powers were generally tied to things around her and linked on a personal level; but even before her empathy she had always been sensitive the emotions of those around her, and perhaps that was why she was such a damn good advice columnist. It was her job to help others, from innocents who needed saving to that person on the street who needed to find love; so far be it from her not to help a person she loved…once loved, her mind hissed at her, and she nodded eagerly; yes far be it from her not to help Cole admit that he was still smitten with her, and if in his admitting she managed to scratch that itch that only he could scratch…well then it was just killing two birds with one stone.

She nodded again enthusiastically as both her sisters shook their head at the situation.

'_Fools in Love can never get enough'_

* * *

Nuitari slumped against the chair his breath coming out in short gasps, as blood pooled from his hands, dripping unto the ground; the magic wafted from his body, tinting the air with a coppery scent. The Book of Shadows sat in front of him, the triquetra shining gold; the only thing keeping his broken body together. The Hollow had yet to be discovered, and as the search continued his body only weakened, there was nothing much he could do but wait, but it was worth it; in the end he would gain what he needed and he would rain fire upon the universe; gain the revenge that he desperately seeks, and once again set himself upon the pinnacle hierarchy of existence and non-existence. 

The Oracle was the new Source now, and the Underworld was upon itself balanced with the force of good, but that wasn't what he wanted, what he wanted was his family…dead. They were alive…he had an opportunity to kill them, yet he let them live. To err is human, to forgive is divine…and it would appear that Nuitari was just stuck somewhere in between.

Blood would flow or love would flow, his thoughts shifted uneasily the strain of the magic pulling again. His mind was slowly being eaten away by the enormous power within him. Insanity burned within his veins, and the pull of fate holding him tightly against his will.

To err is human to forgive is divine. Was that what being a God was all about? Being able to forgive those who had transgressed against you; you were better you should not feel the desire to strike down with unparallel retribution. Nuitari slumped form let out several more shortened gasps, as blood pounded in his head; his body healing the constant damage that the magic did to him.

To err is human to forgive is divine and insanity was nothing more but an escape from the confines of that undefined role.

Nuitari's eyes closed, and the black moon danced in the sky.

* * *

Simelan sat on the chair flipping through what he believed these humans called television. He shook his head in disgust; he had been told stories about how stupid humans were supposed to be, letting emotions overrun logic…but these humans…sickening. Demonic mating rituals were generally looked down upon by the "upper good beings," but at least they were taken seriously. When two demonic beings imitated the ritual it was an oath of lifelong loyalty to ones mate, and if such a tie was to be broken the punishment for either side was one to set the underworld itself on fire, not that it wasn't already but still it was something that affected the entire community. 

Only creatures that did so were succubus and other demons who used seduction, but that was part of the job, not something that tore the loyalty to ones mate.

Demons betrayed, demons destroyed, demons brought emphasized to the word chaos. Loyalty was held as long as one could hold on to fire; they could betray just as easily as the formed alliance, but fidelity was the key within their relationships. They desired power, desire to possess, and only one thing that over road that desire was the infallible tie they had to the one who they choose to stand by.

Humans apparently lacked that concept as he watched some man cheat on his wife with some stranger. He shook his head again…how it was possible that such an idiotic race had managed to survive for so long would forever remain a mystery.

Of course apparently he would have to learn how to act like one since the witches somehow managed to strip his powers, or bound them in one of their unholy rituals.

A sigh escaped his lips; it wasn't as if his powers were any danger anyway. His disillusionments at being the source were visions of grandeur that served only to blind the truth of what he was. A demon born with only the ability to shimmer, no offensive powers, no defensive; in part he was a weakling…he hadn't even killed a single innocent. Of course that fact was probably the only thing that had ended up as another check mark on the Charmed One's list of vanquishes.

He had questioned Belthazor about why the left him alive, and he had simply shrugged saying something about you not being evil until you killed an innocent.

Simelan let out a snort, as he continued to flip through the television channel. There were worst things then death…like falling in love with an immature witch.

* * *

"Those two are driving me crazy," Paige muttered to Piper, who was preparing dinner. The sound of yells and screams of anger shaking the foundations of the house; 

"So why are you here?" Piper asked trying to make conversation, "Oh I didn't know I wasn't allowed in the house," Paige teased pouting slightly.

"It's not that you should be resting, why isn't Henry making you rest? I just don't want anything to happen to my little niece it's about time I was cool Aunt Piper." She fussed, staring pointedly at Paige's belly.

"Doctor says she's fine, very active as well. Not only that I'm the picture of health…besides wasn't it you who dragged me a couple of weeks ago to a goblin brawl?" Paige retorted, waddling to the fridge and proceeded to pull out all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and condiments.

"What are you doing?" Piper questioned.

"I'm making a sandwich," she replied; Piper grimaced as she watch her baby sister piece together what could only be considered as a disaster to culinary art. "That's disgusting Paige."

Paige stuck her tongue out and took a bite into the stomach and her eyes closed in relished ecstasy.

"I thought you didn't like pickles." Piper stated.

"I don't --" Paige said in-between bites, "but she does."

Piper shook her head, wondering what sins could she possibly had committed in her past life that could possibly warrant such a life.

"Quite a bit really if one takes the time to look," the voice spoke softly and Piper's hands were already up; she watched in dismay as the magic merely collapsed in her nephew's hand.

Nuitari chuckled softly "nice to see you too Aunt Piper," a quick motion of his hand a chair slid from under the table. They watched as he settled himself into it looking extremely comfortable.

"What are you doing here," Paige hissed finally and her eyes narrowed as he squinted at her belly.

"Looks like she's growing fast ehh…." He responded and Paige quickly placed her hand over her belly.

"Don't worry…I won't kill her…" noticing their gaze "I won't kill you either…." He muttered sheepishly.

"What are you doing here" Piper bit out, moving to stand in front of her sister; her hands rose instinctively though she knew that it wouldn't do any good. A look of mock pain flashed through his face as he held his hand against his chest, "Am I not allowed in my own home?"

"Home…you're not welcomed here." Paige spat out her hand rubbing her belly softly.

"What is it about me that you just don't like?" He asked turning his gaze to her.

"I don't know maybe the you trying to kill me since before you were born," She responded angrily, "Well apparently I was trying all too seriously because you seem alright to me," he pointed out smiling.

"You evil--" he cut her off "Do not define to me what is evil, I have seen evil; I saw it as my brother died valiantly against you humans, as my sister died in my arms her life blood pooling unto the floor as her existence was snuffed out" he paused his eyes glowing eerily as they focused on Paige's belly, "I have seen evil Auntie Paige…I am not evil, I'm--complicated."

"You killed those women," she spat out; he waved his hands dismissively, "I didn't kill them, I was responsible but I didn't kill them."

"It's the same thing, killing innocents."

"Innocents…in the demonic world they would be the enemy; this is a war isn't it, so basically they were killing soldiers."

"That is evil." Paige responded. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "Call it what you will."

"We should vanquish you right now," She bit out her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Go ahead; but if I remember correctly you can't," he muttered and she flinched at the coldness emanating from his voice.

"Look I didn't come here to fight," he sighed and leaned forward letting his body slump on the table; the sisters noted the tired look in his eyes, and he flashed a smile back at them and at that moment the similarities screamed at Piper, Phoebe's lips, her eyebrows, framed by Paige's hair style, and Cole's facial structure, topped off by Prue's eyelashes. He was a Halliwell, and she could feel a part of her tearing from the realization.

"Why are you--" a loud bang interrupted Piper as Wyatt, Chris and Simelan came running into the room, out of breath.

"You," Simelan gasped pointing his finger at Nuitari who grinned like the devil, "Simelan you old rascal you…still alive, hah mom always did have a soft spot for demons."

Piper ignored the two and turned to her children; Chris was huddling close to Wyatt crying, as he older brother had that look on his face that meant something was wrong.

"Wyatt sweetie, what is it?" She asked, "Demons mommy, in the living room, I got one of them, but they kept on coming." Pipers eyes widened and she turned to Nuitari "you…I thought you said," she sputtered incoherently. "Hey don't look at me," Nuitari lifted his hands up in surrender, "Must be the new Source."

"Piper," Paige shouted as the demons blurred into the room; acting quickly Piper blew one up, and Paige rushed forward grabbing the children in her arms.

"Witch," one of the demons snarled and launched an energy ball at Paige.

It stopped in mid air clutched in Nuitari's palm, "Human--" the demon cut off, as it recognized the being standing calmly in front of the Charmed One.

"None are to harm these women…I was pretty sure I had made that clear to The Source."

"My Lord…she thought," It began shivering in fear; the others kept their heads bowed the attacks ending. "You sniveling coward, I care not what she thought, but my point was made and it would be accepted…or do you find it within you to challenge me?" He questioned staring down at the demon that had been reduced to a mass of trembling flesh.

"No my Lord…never," the demon stuttered out between gasps, "Good," Nuitari smiled pleasantly, "Then consider this a message for the Source."

He flicked his wrist and the demon's body began to shake violent, as green blood oozed from its body. Paige covered the children's eyes as the demon exploded its body collapsing into a single spark of light, which Nuitari crushed within his hand. The other demons slowly backed away, and Nuitari flashed them a satanic grin, with a wave of his hand they caught fire and disappeared.

"Sorry about that," he said brushing his hands off. They stared at him for a moment their mouths opened aghast, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"You saved us." Piper spoke up her voice barely above a whisper. He laughed "Don't get it twisted auntie, I just hate being crossed, pisses me off something awful."

Paige was to busy to slap her hands over the boys ears. He noticed the scowl on his aunts face, "oops sorry young ears and all." Nuitari waved at Chris and Wyatt who waved back, "Hi Consobrinus." Piper's eyes ventured from her sons to her nephew.

"Even though…why would you--" Paige interrupted wondering how the children knew him.

"Anyway," he moved his hands up ignoring the question, "here," the book of shadows formed in his hands glowing slightly, "I have no need for it anymore--" He said laying it on the table.

"I got to go anyway things to do…ya know evil things," He leered at Paige, and turned to Simelan, "Guess I won't be the death of you huh?"

He began to blur away "Oh yeah, next time we meet, I'll probably kill you…just letting you guys know." Smiling like the devil himself he disappeared.

Moments later Phoebe ran down the stairs, her eyes wide and angry, she stopped looking at her sister's disgruntled looks, and the kitchen mess.

"What happened?" She reeled back at the stares that some how made it seem as if it was all her fault.

* * *

"He is powerful." One said, white robes hanging loosely against the glowing form; Rowland the founder of the elders, and the highest form of good. 

"His actions have disrupted the flow of order," Another spoke, gray robes held tightly, eyes pale as the moon shining beneath the drawn hood; Aprisecus a Neutral, the Watcher; forever seeing yet never interfering.

"If he continues on this path he may very well lead to the destruction of the universe." The third spoke, its body nothing but a mass of black flames, coldness ebbed from its depths; Kratos; the designer of fate.

"What action should we take then?" The white one responded and the other looked away.

Leo stood patiently as the upper powers argued amongst themselves; It was not the first time he had been subject to this meetings, but now things were different; this space was the only place the powers could meet without the unraveling of time, but things were different, calmness had been drained from the room and replaced with an overwhelming sense of desperation; the situation with Nuitari had grown more unstable, though they did not completely confide in him, from what he had managed to grasp is that the appearance of the black moon had indeed increased the flow of magic, but Nuitari on his own was forcing it down. The suppression was causing a build up between the realms, as magic found itself not being released in a constant circle but rather forced to remain within the mortal realm, unraveling slowly the fabrics of space and time.

Humans who were partially tuned to the flow of time found them-selves experiencing a deja-vu, witches experiencing drastic increases of powers, and demonic forces were even more overwhelming. Even he could feel the strength of his own magic increase, his healing capabilities had increased to the point of bringing back those who had recently died, but with it came a price. For each time he used his powers he could feel apart of him tear, even simply orbing had become a tiresome task.

"We go to war," Kratos finally retorted, and Leo's eyebrows rose.

"You can't be serious?" Aprisecus responded, "Are you mad, he is a god, we do not stand a chance against him."

The black flames rose in anger, "he has undermined our control, disrupted the flow of our order, and has made a mockery of all of which magic stands for; this world is not his it is ours, the reins of fate our not his to do as he pleases."

"So you would risk an outright confrontation?"

"He was destroyed once," Kratos responded "We can so do so again."

"You have grown arrogant in your time Kratos, the reins of fate are not yours as well, they do as they please. If they indeed sense the return of their master; what say to you that they shall remain loyal "

"And you are a coward Aprisecus, we have grown stronger since the beginning, our magic, our existences are no longer tied to his own."

"A direct confrontation between him and us I refuse; you may call such actions cowardice, but it is sound judgment." Aprisecus lowered his tone, he gaze focusing to Rowland who sat quietly. "I have watched upon him, and he as well has noticed my actions; his human side weakens him, but with it comes an uncommon amount of power; more then he previously held, in a direct confrontation he is far to likely to be our destruction."

"Then we strike soon, as you have said yourself his human side is his weakness, if we sever the chain of its fate, the rest shall crumble." "And what do you supposed we do with Nuitari's essence, it cannot be sealed; with a mere utterance he can create another prophecy that would assure his return, one that could assure the destruction of all the realms." Aprisecus argued.

"We destroy it," Kratos cut in, the black flames glowing brighter.

"Destroy it?"

"The Hollow," silence washed through the room, until Aprisecus finally broke it.

"Are you a fool? The Hollow is within the wasteland, that realm is not to be tampered with,"

"It will give us the advantage that we need--"

"By all due respect sir" Leo interrupted, "please seek another path; there was a spell cast on him, perhaps there is a way to reverse it?"

"You let your emotions cloud your judgment white-lighter; the boy is a threat, the union that created him was heresy to the Great Design." Kratos spoke, "Such unions between powerful forces are not to be upheld, you should know yourself whitelighter."

"Know what," Leo asked and Aprisecus sent a warning glance, Rowland's eyes narrowed, but Kratos continued, "The union of you and that witch was one outside of the Great Plan, the one that we designed, but not far from what the God's had created--Upon the day of Magic's fell the world shall give witness to he who is twice blessed—the second of those Charmed Thrice, the Silver Moon—Solinari."

"Wyatt," They nodded, "The second moon; we had suspected that such a union between a whitelighter and witch may yield such a force, and when the connection between you and the Charmed One began to show interest…it was within our best interest to make sure such a union would not be formed. But alas you refused and in the end we decided not to interfere, but with the birth of that child, and when we saw the magic he would wield, when Excalibur found itself drawn to him…we knew." Kratos spoke again the flames growing larger, and Leo flinched from the coldness that emanated from them, it was then realization struck. "Is that why Gideon," he found himself saying angrily.

"No Leo Wyatt," Aprisecus cut in, his voice passive and urging; "The Elder Gideon acted upon his own accord, but indeed if the future had not been changed by your younger son, we would have been forced to intervene; in that world your Son was a powerful danger to both the forces of good and evil."

"But his powers are a mere fraction to what Nuitari holds, and that is the reason why we must act." Kratos spoke again finding reason to augment his plan.

"But his parents?" Leo interrupted again, and stood his ground as he felt the biting frost of Kratos burn his skin.

"Belthazor the Great Betrayer, and a Charmed One, have no say into what we plan; they gave up the child, he is not within their holds any longer; we will do as we please, and you White-Lighter will not interfere."

"And what have **we** decided Kratos," Rowland finally spoke, a statement not a question. The space echoed with the power of his voice, Leo felt his body lighten, and the biting cold he had felt before fled from his body.

"HE IS A DANGER, ROWLAND OR HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT NUITARI THE DEVOURER IS CAPABLE OF?" Kratos shouted, and Aprisecus shook his head in sadness.

"He is human, if it is to be, then it is to be. Have you yourself told me that the reins of fate our unpredictable even within our hands? Then let it be," Rowland spoke and Kratos snorted, "do not dissuade yourself old friend, I understand the urgency of your plans, but we have both been wise in the past to heed Aprisecus wisdom."

He turned to the White-lighter, "Go Leo Wyatt, talk to your family; we give them 2 of their mortals months to clear up this mess; as for the time the forces of Good and Evil will be contacted and told to raise their forces, if you do not manage to do so, we will be forced to take action."

"So once again we will leave the reins of fate to mortals?" Kratos demanded.

"It is not our fates that are at risk Kratos but theirs, it is time that the reins of fate were left to no being…so for this one moment I ask of you to let them go, and simply see how the path goes." Aprisecus interrupted.

Kratos flared up, and for awhile Leo thought he would attack the other two but a brief tug, and he felt as if some chain was cast aside from his body.

"It is done." Kratos muttered defeated and the black flames disappeared from view.

Rowland nodded, and as well disappeared.

Only Aprisecus remained, his presence filling the hall with an unnatural void, he turned to Leo who bowed his head slightly.

"Do you know what I see Leo Wyatt?" Aprisecus asked, moving slowly throughout the space, his steps echoing.

"No, I am not gifted in such matters." He responded respectfully.

"Of course not," Aprisecus chuckled slightly.

"I will tell you what I see, so you may see why Kratos feels such fear. Time is not as a river as we would like it to be, though it may have curves, and moments were it bridges, at least at some point we know were it begins and were it ends, were it ebbs and flows. No as Nuitari himself once pointed out Time is an Ocean, one that has no beginnings and no ends, one that does not rise or fall with the tide, yet does not remain calm; one were endless ripples of choices, decisions, and actions influence and control many parallel worlds and realms." He stopped, "Pardon the ramblings of an Old Man, but for this you must understand. From these ripples several paths our chosen by fate, paths that can be decided as ones destiny; but from what has occurred the paths chosen were not those of fate, but that of Nuitari, Lunatari, and Solinari; two paths, instead of the infinite possibilities. One were the Three rise together, and new age begins…and one were Nuitari rules alone, his power unchecked and the realms left to the mercy of his uncontrollable powers."

He turned and Leo could feel the years of anguish and pain that rested within the space, "This was once theirs, this realm; this was once were they meet together, this is where they died together…Find a way to cure the disease that eats through his soul; find the way to fix the err that his humanity has created Leo, or bear with us—the apocalypse."

* * *

Chapter 11 Complete, now I feel slightly satisfied. Review; point out errors, as I said I still need a beta-reader so if your interested send me an email. If you have any story ideas I will be happy to acknowledge them. 

Some of you our probably wondering what's up with Chapter 9, its really nothing more but a look back on the life of Nuitari, Lunatari, and Solinari's life. I made it cause I was bored and it might very well become it's own little spin-off story. It's made to be funny really the events in the Charmed Universe are much more serious, but for this case I want to show that they weren't without their little fun.


	12. Pride comes before the Fall

**I don't own charmed or DragonLance rather I am writing this for my own pleasure and what not…so no lawsuits please…I have enough on my plate to deal with.**

**Thanks for the reviews everybody and its because of the reviews that I have decided to stick with this story, don't worry every time I have writers block I'm just going to write little Nuitari short stories, they usually are good enough to give me motivation to continue as well as the reviews; so once again thanks everyone for the reviews and enjoy my other short story All in the family.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Pride comes before the fall.**

* * *

"He defiles the sacred grounds, trespassing were he does not belong" One shouted angrily.

"He shows no respect, and he slaughters us at his own whim." Another shouted.

"Do something about the brat," another finished and they all turned their eyes to the Source.

She sat quietly, her black robe wrapped tightly around her frame, as her fingernails tapped the golden throne in losing patience while she processed the information; Nuitari had grown rather erratic over the past days, first he thwarted her attack on the Charmed Ones, and apparently angry over the attack had gone on to slaughter many of her demons. The acts themselves weren't bad…but it was that he did so and she did not challenge him. It was a marking of weakness, and for demons weakness meant death. But she wasn't a fool, unlike the other Sources who had tended to rushed into matters; she was calm, took her time…because as she knew, she had plenty of it.

The crowds were watching her reaction; wondering how this new Source would hold up to these accusations. They were not keen on her wisdom, nor of how she had gained so much power; those who remembered her, remembered a weak Oracle who had just become a seer, and now she was the Source of all Evil, it was no surprise that she was being challenged, and she handle it with ease; with a flick of her wrist all three accusing demons caught fire, there body twisting in anguish as they disappeared in puffs of smoke. She turned her eyes to the other demons who bowed their heads in respect, and fear.

"Is there any more complaints?" They shook their heads, "I am not like the previous Sources; my goal will not focus on the annihilation of witches…or the forces of good." She turned her eyes over the demons who were whispering among themselves, "No from now we focus on the in-between, we corrupt what we should have been corrupting from the very beginning…humans."

"Humans, they are weak creatures…what could the possibly offer to the growth of demondom besides as fodder."

"Yes humans, why not? It shouldn't be so hard a task, if we corrupt them what fear do we need to have of the side of good?"

"Corrupting mortals…how does that help."

"The world has changed, and will continue to change, good and evil are no longer terms acknowledge by humans, only one thing speaks to them," She turned her eyes to them, "money, if we can control the human market it would only be a matter of time as we gained control of the entire upper world. This would keep us off the witch's radar, and the Elders could not dare interfere."

She gazed at them, "I have already started to buy out a large sample of their businesses, and once we get the upper hand within the corporations it will be easy to manipulate the rest of the populace."

"May I say My Lady…I don't quite understand," one brave demon spoke up, she smiled.

"Humans are ruled by money, if we can manage to gather these corporations' interests towards other issues we can manipulate the human race; allow them to do the evil. Witches can't kill mortals because as long as they have not murdered an innocent they are not evil, the Elders cannot interfere because the action is done of humanities free will. As well there are countries were these corporations have much power in what they can do."

They nodded, and she thought about telling more; how she planned to move on from the corporations to governmental control in those other countries. Instigate wars that would destroy economies, lives and from there move on appearing as saviors to Unify the world.

No, they wouldn't understand; besides there were other issues that she had to deal with first, more important issues; "Leave me." She commanded and they nodded disappearing.

She rested her head against the throne, seeking once again to grab some semblance of the future; but rather she saw nothing; a vast emptiness encompassing the universe as it spun in an eternal loop. He was a danger; she recognized so; the Elders had contacted her a brief reprieve they called; a moment were good and evil would unite once more to calm a growing force more dangerous then even the Hollow.

Illiria, pulled at a strand of her hair as she concentrated. She had told the Elder's liaison that she would consider the offer of gathering forces, and indeed she had done so merely for vindication; but the truth still remain the boy was a threat, and it would be wise to gather together in order to put some stop to him. It did not matter if he was a god, she was the Source of all Evil, magic unlike any other flew through her body; she could destroy him and she truly did not need the Elders. She would let them deal with the danger, and when they were weakened she would come in saving their pathetic asses. She smiled, and waved her hands watching the future unfold.

Indeed Illiria was different then previous Sources, cunning, intelligent, but like all that came before her imbued with pride. She indeed sat on a high horse; if the fall did not kill her, maybe she would learn something.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Paige griped, sitting on a stool at P3, and she took a sip of her drink; non-Alcoholic of course.

"Paige calm down, it's not that bad…I think it's good for Henry to be making friends." Piper flinched as her sister turned to her, "Not with him though, why him of all people; God I hate him." Paige muttered and took another sip, as she turned her head to stare at her husband, who was busy laughing his ass of with Cole.

"So you're telling me that she couldn't orb unless she was scared?" Henry was asking and he let out another laugh, "But she's so good at it now."

"Yeah it takes practice and talent, which at the time she really didn't have." Paige fumed, though it had sounded as if he had just complimented her as well.

"Did she tell you about her first experience with personal gain?" Cole was saying; Paige's eyes widened and she quickly went to grab her husbands hand, "Henry honey, how about a dance," She shot Cole a glare which he returned with a smirk.

Henry nodded gathering his wife up in his arms; missing the tongue that she stuck out at Cole.

"Having fun," Piper sat next to him, as he took another swing of his drink, and slumped back into the couch.

"I don't know why were here; we should be at home working on a spell or something…and the kids are they safe being alone like that?"

"Leo's with them Cole," she said, worry tingeing her voice; Leo had been missing for a couple of days since he had gone up there to Elderland, but when he came back he seemed rather sullen. This had been the reason she had gone out with the family, Leo needed time alone; she could see it in his eyes, and though she had wanted to press him on the issue, the tired look on his face had dissuaded her.

Cole noted the emotion, and rested a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure whatever it is he'll tell you when the time is right." He took another swig from his glass, and turned his eyes to Phoebe who was on the dance floor with some younger man. She was wearing a tight red skirt, and high heels, a white blouse with spaghetti string straps that showed off her delicate but powerful shoulders. She was laughing with the guy who was whispering in her ear; a little too close for his comfort. Cole let out a growl.

Piper noted the look, and shook her head, "Relax, Cole; she's just jerking you around."

He turned at her his face calm, "who said I wasn't relaxed?"

"Come on Cole, I can tell." Piper said pointedly. "Your crazy," he replied and took another shot of his drink, keeping his eyes closed.

"You guys are so immature you know that," Piper retorted angrily and stood up slapping him on the head as she stalked away.

"Tell that too your sister," he muttered, opening his eyes and turning them to Phoebe. There eyes caught for a moment and she quickly looked away, leaning her body, her hips specifically in closer to the guy she was dancing with. Cole shook his head, perhaps he was seeing things; he took another shot of his liquor and laid his head back on the couch.

"Hey," he cursed quietly and opened his eyes. A young woman stood in front of him, gazing at him shyly. He let out a sigh, "I'm Krystal," she reached her hand out, and he shook it awkwardly. "Cole," he said, and turned his attention back to the glass in front of him; hoping that she would take the hint and leave. He felt the couch sink in and obviously she had made herself comfortable.

"I notice you've just been sitting here," she began shyly; He looked up at her, she was attractive, blonde hair, a petite very curvaceous frame; nice lips, and a pretty good smile he noted. She couldn't be over 21.

"Yeah, I'm not really into the club scene," he said again turning his view to the glass in his hand.

"Oh—so why are you here?" She asked; he was definitely handsome, older then what she was used to; though he did have a surly look on his face, it was his eyes that attracted her, mysterious, calming and oh so lovely.

"My sister—my ex-sister in law invited me." He said, his gaze now focusing on her and she blushed at the intensity. Ex-sister in law meant that he had been married, and it must have been awhile as well if he was back to talking terms with the family. "Oh," she turned and crossed her legs provocatively; Cole noticed the gesture and smirked slightly. He noticed Phoebe leaning her head on the guys shoulder, and felt a rush of jealousy.

"Do you want to dance," she asked out of the blue throwing caution to the wind, he raised an eyebrow and for a moment she thought he was going to say no, and she winced slightly. Instead he stood up and smiled offering her his hand.

"I'd love too."

* * *

Phoebe laughed at the joke that the man made; it wasn't really funny, but she had to show she was interested; he leaned in over her, and she almost heaved over the heavy amount of cologne that he was wearing. But he was cute, and the attention he was lavishing on her was obviously making Cole jealous. She leaned her head slightly to the side and noticed a young woman in a blue dress standing next to him, and she leaned in closer.

She felt a wave of jealousy hit her, but she brushed it aside; she didn't have anything to worry about from Cole, that little tart would walk away dejected. She noticed the girl sitting down, and she adjusted her date slightly so she could get a better look over his shoulders, he was shorter then what she was used too but in this point it served a purpose.

The girl was gesturing towards the dance floor, 'ha good luck getting him to dance you tart,' Phoebe thought vehemently smiling at the girls failure. Cole stood up and reached his hand out to girl who accepted gladly, "what the hell," Phoebe muttered, "What," her date said noticing that she was distracted.

"Nothing, nothing don't worry about it," she turned her gaze back to Cole and the woman who were dancing, she rubbed her body proactively against his, and she moved his hands around her waist, making sure he held her close. Phoebe felt another rush of jealousy hit her; her mind flashed to how hard it had been for her to manage to get him to dance; hell she had to drag him to the dance floor, and here he was dancing with this little tart.

Their eyes met for a moment, and she stuck her tongue at him, he responded by dipping his lips near the girl and whispering something in her ear; Phoebe watch the girl blush a deep crimson red, and had to struggle to push down the boiling rage. Her date looked down at her, worried; she dismissed him quickly saying it was just an upset stomach and sent him to go get her something to drink. For her life she couldn't remember his name so she just avoided saying it.

He was all to willing to please and she felt bad for using him like this, but then again if her empathy was reading him well; all he really wanted was sex; he was a good dancer, better then Cole, but he lacked something, the way he had hit on her, was completely different then Cole's courting; he cracked too many jokes, none of which were really funny, he was kind of short, not overly attractive, and seemed to have the maturity of a eighteen year old school boy.

She turned her eyes to Cole, who was dancing with the young tart, as she had called her; the girls head leaning against his chest, and her eyes closed with contentment.

Her empathy skyrocketed and she found herself walking forward, ignoring the fact that her date had just returned with drinks in his hand. With each stride the emotions just bubbled out even harder; the club music blared around her, the lights dancing around as she forced herself through the throes of bodies, she found herself standing in front of Cole, the young girl pushed aside sputtering indignantly; their eyes met, hers raging with passion, and envy; his caught in surprise and wariness.

How could he do this to her, how could he not tell that she still loved him, wanted him. For once her mind and heart were in complete harmony. He was always an idiot when it came to her, wasn't that why she had found him so endearing; he was cunning, ruthless, able to read any human being, or demon; but with her he always fell flat.

Her hand went up and the sound of the smack seemed to completely overlap the music, and silence quickly stretched across the room. She heard a couple of people mutter lover's quarrel and in the midst of her madness she found enough in her to give a slight chuckle at how right they were.

"What the hell is wrong with you," She ignored Coles glare, instead she stood there, as the emotional high only increased; maybe it was the music, or maybe because under the underlying rage that echoed from his eyes, there was lust and imminent desire.

She found herself being dragged outside by the arm, and she let herself follow.

He slammed the door behind P3 shut, and turned to face her, eyes raging as she stood there all little innocent girl. Cole couldn't fathom what exactly was going through her mind; pretending she wanted him, then trying to make him jealous. She was acting like a 14 year old school girl with a crush.

"God Phoebe, what the fu--" his words were cut off by her lips smashing against his, "Phoebe" he muttered against her lips, and he pulled her away, trying to sweep away the emotions that threatened to bubble up out of him. They pushed back harder, but he fought holding on to his sanity as much as he could.

"Pho--" his words were once again cut off by her lips against his, as her hands held him; he knew that manner the one that meant that she was his, and he was hers. He felt the tug in his heart, and the lust that boiled inside of him; he couldn't do this, he shouldn't do this, but it would be nothing more but denying the weakness that was built up his heart; "bedroom," was all she whispered as she pulled away eyes searching his, burning with desire. He could only nod, finally giving in his feelings as he shimmered with her.

"We shouldn't do this," he found himself protesting as she struggled with his clothes, but she merely groaned, and he dipped his lips down to hers, this time willingly.

The darkness folded around them, but he could still see her before him, as clearly as if it was day as he pressed his body against her, moving towards the bed.

The smell of sex encircled the room, as the rolled over each other, the years of pent up frustration and rage released through their love making. Finally Cole rolled off her, and slumped back to the side of the bed.

Phoebe flinched at the sudden lost of contact, and turned her eyes to him, she waited for those words that he always whisper to her, for him to say how much she loved him; and she found that she ached to repeat those very same words to him. But nothing came instead he simply laid there his eyes opened, as if he was lost in thought.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and she was suddenly angry; those weren't the words she was waiting for—she didn't want his pity, she wanted his love.

"Get out," she spoke up, feeling betrayed; Phoebe sat up and wrapped the sheets around her body, shivering from the cold that had crept into her veins; his eyes turned to her, and she flushed slightly, "get out," she repeated again and he shook his head slowly and stood up grabbing his pants off the floor as he slipped them on. She eyed him, his back turned to her and he headed for the door. She reached her empathy out attempting to get a reading of his emotions, but rather a she found herself blocked; he stopped at the door and for the moment she prayed that he would say those words that she desperately wanted to hear; but instead he simply stepped out, and shut the door behind him.

Her head fell back on the bed and she turned her eyes to the clock; three a.m. she mused and she shook her head. 'Maybe I should call him back,' she thought, explain to him why she had done what she had done. That she was tired of fighting, that she wanted the chance to be with him again, to be able to continue the family that they had some point lost. But pride held her back; if she admitted that it would also be admitting that she was wrong; it would also be admitting that at some point that she had lied to him, that it wasn't that their love wasn't enough—rather it was the love that she wanted to offer to him that was not enough; insufficient, and that would only gain her sympathy—pity and she had struggled so hard through the years to cast aside. Poor Phoebe, a part of her mind hissed at her, and she pulled the covers tighter around her.

She turned her eyes to the windows, and for the first time she noticed the black moon that hung in the sky, looming dark, absorbing light. She stared for awhile and it seemed too look back, its gaze laughing, and mocking.

'Poor Phoebe,' her mind whispered again, and the darkness took her, as the black moon remained in the sky still laughing.

* * *

He shook his head, and downed the glass of water; he would definitely prefer something better, but now wasn't that time. The last thing Piper would appreciate would be him getting drunk and throwing up all over her kitchen, 'she probably wouldn't appreciate you sleeping with her sister either' his mind spoke up laughing at him, as he pulled a surly face.

Could he say he didn't want it…yes…no…maybe; yes he had wanted it, and he could tell that she did as well, but it was going to come back and bite him; her fickleness, her over bearing inability to leave well off alone. Paige would be furious, and he could already picture her preparing a vanquish potion for him; he probably would deserve it too, it's not like he had done anything to stop it.

But at the same time; a new sense of confidence was growing in his mind; he knew what she wanted…why she had kicked him out; she had waited for those words that he had use to whisper to her; for him to claim his undying love for her. That was the true reason; there was some power in knowing that she still wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

Yes he did want her, and he had wanted to say those words to her; as her brown eyes had stared into his he had desperately wanted to whisper them to her. But the hurt the pain, the feeling of betray they had all pushed back the words that he wanted to say all caught in his throat.

He wasn't ready to say those words out loud…not until she did at least.

* * *

Piper had noticed the reaction in the club, and had been worried when Cole had grabbed Phoebe and dragged her out the door, murder burning in his eyes. But later another volley of emotions hit her, and she quickly repelled from her connection with him, trying to fight the heat that burned in her cheeks.

"Piper, you okay?" Paige asked, staring worriedly at her older sisters flushed face.

"I need to find a way to break that bloody connection," Piper muttered patting her brows with a napkin.

"Paige…you think you could close up for me tonight?" It was already late and the club was emptying out.

"Hey no problem, Henry has the day off tomorrow, so we can stay a little longer."

"Thanks,"

"Where are you gonna go,"

"I was thinking about going home…check up on Leo."

"Okay…I'll orb you and Phoebe back."

"Phoebe's kind of busy right now…I'm pretty sure Cole will be taking her home…don't worry I'll drive."

Paige nodded, and Piper headed for the car, ignoring the emotions that were threatening to over flood her system.

"Damn Phoebe." She muttered, as she reached the house, closing the door behind her. She heard some noises upstairs, and shook her head again; Leo must have still been in magic school…and it seemed he had taken Simelan with him as well. She headed up the stairs, and decided to head there as well…it would obviously be better then staying here.

Leo gazed up as his wife materialized in the hall, the kids both sound asleep on the couch with Simelan lying on the ground under them.

She followed his gaze as they settled over the boys sweeping over Chris and finally resting on Wyatt who had pulled his younger brother closer.

"Leo, are you okay."

He turned his gaze to her and smiled sadly, "two months Piper," "What?"

"Two months, that's how long they are giving us to fix this whole Nuitari thing."

"And if we can't." "If we can't then it's going to be war."

"War; are they stupid why?"

"His powers are getting to strong, and he's been suppressing magic in the mortal realm, the Powers that Be think that if they can destroy him, the balance will be restored."

"Will it?" she asked attentively.

"I don't know, at the rate the magic is being suppressed the backlash from his death could be catastrophic—that's if they are even able to kill him."

She shook her head slowly and walked up to him, throwing her arms around him.

"They were considering using the Hollow."

Piper pushed away, and stared at him, "Are they insane, aren't they the ones who locked it up to begin with."

"Didn't stop us from using it…and it seems that it won't stop them."

"What happened Leo?" She asked staring into his eyes noticing the hollowed look, "Do you ever wonder about the future; the demons that the boys will have to face—I know the Angel of Destiny said differently but evil always finds a way—and I worry about the boys; especially Wyatt."

"Hmm?" She whispered laying her head against his chest, as she listened to his heart beat.

"Maybe we should be training him with his powers more; I mean he is already definitely stronger then us, and it's not as if we don't allow Chris to use his powers."

"I thought we decided we would wait until he was older,"

"I know; I know it's just—what if it's too late by then…."

"Leo—what's going on?" She pulled her head up and noticed his eyes once again focused on the boys."

"Twice-blessed, cousin of he who is charmed thrice; it's been before our eyes for so long, and I never even understood it."

"Leo what are you babbling about?" "Wyatt—he and Nuitari they are connected and it's the matter of balance—without all three Gods one is destined to be pulled in the other direction—Older Chris's Wyatt was a being who was beyond Good and Evil; and I wonder if this was the mistake we made—not letting him use his magic, and when the time did come he didn't know how to control the amount of power in him. That's what is really happening to Nuitari right now Piper, the Magic is consuming him he doesn't consider himself good or evil—just magic"  
He let out a sigh and pulled Piper away, slumping down on a sofa chair "I don't know how we are going to fix this Piper—especially in two months."

"We've dealt with worst before Leo," he shook his head "no we haven't—we've faced demons, titans but he—he is something completely different Piper—we can't kill him—I don't even think the guy's upstairs can kill him."

"Then we change him back," she replied defiantly and sat down next to her husband grabbing his hand, "What is really bothering you honey—you mentioned Wyatt."

"They told me something three days ago about Wyatt—why they didn't want us together."

She looked surprised, "The Child a Charmed One and a Whitelighter would set into motion the plan began by the Gods—and with that the coming of the Silver Moon and the Second Cousin. It's Wyatt, he's Solinari—at least a reincarnated form and I'm worried that if Nuitari uncontrollable like this has so much power—what will happen if Wyatt one days loses control."

"We are raising him Leo, we've taught him the difference, Nuitari never had that chance, to learn how to truly use his powers to aid others, but Wyatt—he will, he does, don't worry when the problems come we'll face them together." He let out a smile, "I thought I was the one who was supposed to do the guiding."

Piper smiled back, "I learned from the best."

* * *

He was bored; the timelines fluttered around him, and his fingers trailed around the chords playing them softly. But he was still bored—all the power in the world…and he was still bored.

Nuitari let out a sigh resting his head back against the chair; the underworld was mad with him, so he really didn't have much of a place to play anymore—and it's not like he could simple orb up into Elder-Land and start a massacre there…well he could and maybe he should; he stopped considering the possibility. No the forces of good didn't take massacre's well; they got all prissy about the lost of life and consuming of souls.

Hmm, the human world did have its entertainments, but lately he found them mundane; and mostly jokes.

A presence leaked into the room, but Nuitari ignored it; even as the cold invaded his body, and tightened around his neck. His body lifted up into the air, and exploded.

Kratos appeared into the room, flames etching and beating triumphantly.

"What the hell man?" Nuitari coalesced together shaking his head "Did you just blow me up?"

Kratos slunk back, as the Gods eyes met his and recognition flashed within them.

"Well, well, well; Kratos how long has it been—old friend." "I am no friend of your Nuitari;" Nuitari nodded "true it was more of a student teacher relationship,"

Nuitari moved forward arms stretched out, and was blasted back by flames.

"Seems you must have learned a thing or too in my absence. You always were resourceful," "I did not come here for idle talk."

Nuitari frowned, "Oh well then that's not fun, I mean we have so much to catch up on;"

Kratos ignored him, "Nuitari of the black moon you are hereby condemned of heresy to the Great Plan, disrupting the flow of magic," "Only little Kratos, who made you judge; hahahaha you always did want power didn't you, it was no wonder that you managed to con those other two into your little scheme; now look at you hiding behind the flames of creation…."

The flames reached again for him, but instead froze; he blew them away with a wave of his hand; "What do you come for Kratos to try to finish what you began so long ago? You know it doesn't work like that, you can't destroy me---you never could."

"But with this I can," the black box appeared before Kratos, dark and ominous; Nuitari could feel magic draw itself towards it and he himself felt the desire to approach.

"The Hollow, you have the hollow—I thought it was in the wasteland.'

"This will be your end Nuitari," "You plan to use the hollow to absorb my powers," Kratos flared up and the flames reached out, again Nuitari blew them away. "You kept some of it," he spoke eyes turned to the flames flaring before him, Nuitari stepped closer ignoring the flames that licked at his body, "is that how you managed to control the chains of fate—with the hollow?"

The flames flared up again and rushed at him quickly slamming into his body, exploding with tremendous force.

Nuitari stepped out relatively unharmed, and beat the flames away from his cloak, "I stoked those fires Kratos," He reached his hands and magic gathered into them, as he sent them at Kratos, "stop hiding behind my creations!"

They washed away and Kratos' true form slumped to the ground, the hollow clutched close to his body, white hair fell over a horned head were black soulless eyes looked from under.

Nuitari stepped forward, grasping the being by the neck and lifting him up by the neck, "What did you expect to accomplish?" He bit out angrily as he through the body against the walls."

Kratos stood up, and pulled magic into his hand and flung them at Nuitari; the powers slammed absorbed into the god's body.

"Have they healed Kratos, or do they still leak openly?" Nuitari moved forward slowly, eyes glowing pale blue, as a cat stalking it's pray; Kratos eyes narrowed and he pulled his arms back, feeling the embrace of magic wrapping around them as he flung round after round of energy at him.

Nuitari moved quickly, sweeping them into his hands and sent them back; Kratos moved but he dodged too slowly; his right arm degenerating in the approaching force.

He bit back a scream, and turned his eyes to his former master; Nuitari looked rather puzzled, and stopped in front of his old servant, leaning over he studied the blackened eyes. "Why do you not scream? If I remember correctly the last wound I gave you; you let out a very satisfying howl."

"I have not forgotten what you are capable of—devourer." Kratos retorted and pulled aside the upper shoulder of his robes, revealing five leaking wounds.

"I am magic, Kratos; you could never truly accept that could you; the fact that I would always be more powerful, that you are just the creation and I am the creator."

"You are no such thing;" Kratos pulled back holding his shoulder heavily as the wound struggled to heal "I owe you nothing, you are nothing; even now all I see is a mere shell of a former God, nothing special, nothing at all."

"Then kill me Kratos, go ahead prove to me that I am nothing special."

"Gladly," a black blade appeared in his left hand and Kratos rushed forward, thrusting it at Nuitari's belly; Nuitari grabbed the blade mere inches before it impaled him and twisting his body flinging Kratos into a nearby wall.

Kratos landed with a hiss, and bit back another cry of pain as red blood poured from his lips.

"Look at you, your mortality screams in anguish; is this what you've been doing spending your time playing God, not even perfecting the magic that I granted you—fine then, I will take them back." Nuitari shook his head barely as Kratos struggled to his feet, breath coming out in short gasps.

"You should have been greater Kratos—you should have done more,"

He rushed forward hi fist puncturing through Kratos stomach, and he felt the life blood wash around them, wrapping around his arms as his skin absorbed its essence and the magic contained within. "I do not need to kill you, do you know that Kratos; a part of me remembers the child that at one time came to me in need, the one who sought power; I am giving you a chance to correct all of this, give me the part of the hollow that is within you—and I'll let you live."

"Never—you're a threat to this world," Kratos spoke up blood leaking through his mouth.

"When did you become so noble," Nuitari reached his other hand out and grasped a horn, and pulled it out with wrenching force. Blood oozed from the opened wound, and another hissing gasp escaped his lips.

Again Kratos did not let out a cry, "I am still offering you your chance Kratos, take it; or I will kill you." Kratos looked into the pale blue eyes, pride gleaming in them, reflecting his own pride as well. "Unlike you--master—I do not fear death,"

Nuitari nodded, "Very well, I asked nicely, said my pleases and what not so now I'll just take it"

Kratos felt his body heat up, and he tried to summon the flames of creation, but they repelled from him, instead wrapping their form around the body of their creator; the pulse of magic in his body began to leak out, he stumbled back sliding off the fist that was thrust into his body, and slumped to the ground, fighting to hold it all in; the power, the magic, the hollow; all raged within his body. Images flashed before him, as he saw the realms expand and contrast from the vast amount of magic that was beginning to be released.

He stared down at his belly and noticed that the wound seem to widen, as cracks forming up over his body, and he bit back his scream; he would not give Nuitari the pleasure; his stomach swelled up from the contained force of the hollow and finally he could hold it back no more.

Cracks ran up and down his body as if he was a mirror, and with a groan he erupted, blood sprinkling the floor and walls as the small part of the hollow lifted from his deceased form; it stopped in the air as if sniffing for magic, the cloud sensed its former master and floated to Nuitari, and for the first time in a long time—Nuitari felt complete.

Nuitari turned his gaze to the box that lay on the floor, trembling at the excitement that settled in the pit of his stomach.

"Welcome back—old friend."

* * *

Well that's chapter 12, its okay I guess I need a beta-reader so please anyone interested just contact me, and too the reviewers don't feel bad about leaving flames, or comments on how to improve the current storyline I truly will appreciate them.

I know you guys are wondering what's going on with Nuitari, I'm just setting him up for one big boom in later chapters, this story probably won't be really long about I don't know 5 more chapters I would say. It's going to take more time though with my classes opening so bare with me okay, and in between updates I'll be making more one shots, focusing on varying timelines in the Charmed Universe and what not, so don't worry I still be writing.

Again I'm still going over many of my chapters, I'm currently editing Chapter 7 which is why I would really need a beta-reader to help catch me in the parts that I messed up on, and maybe add some storyline elements.


	13. Tears of a Black Moon

I don't own Charmed or Dragon Lance. They both belong to their respective creators.

Once again a thank you too all of the reviews I've gotten, and I think the story has been winding down pretty well. As you've noticed the posts of chapters have slowed down, but don't worry I'm not giving up.

The story I think is going pretty nicely, and though I had thought to end it in a couple of more chapters, it seems that it may go on for a little bit longer; so which is why I'm asking again if anyone wants to help contribute to the story, or beta-read I would greatly appreciate it.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Tears of a Black Moon**

* * *

Phoebe woke up, and set her foot down tenderly on the cool wooden floor wincing slightly at the pain that rushed up her thighs. She 

couldn't remember the last time her joints had ached so much—then again she couldn't remember the last time she had made love like that

in a long time. She opened the door of her room, and poked her head out; noticing the emptiness she quietly slipped into the bathroom to

take a shower.

As the water ran over her she winced slightly as her hands ran over a few bruises, and a bite mark. Her body was so stiff as she scrubbed,

trying desperately to lose the smell of sex. She stepped out gingerly feeling slightly refreshed, and headed downstairs. The house was

unusually quiet; had she gotten her days confused—no it was Saturday the kids should be downstairs running around and making noise, and

she shouldn't have needed to wake up on her own. Piper's voice would have been the catalyst to get her up; she moved gingerly and felt

out of place, the manor extremely cold.

She moved to the kitchen, and noticed the sunlight beaming into the room, despite that it seemed as if a great void lurked in the room,

soaking up all warmth and light. That was when she noticed him, sitting calmly a cup in his hand. He turned to her and smiled "hello mother."

She swallowed backing up, and frowning he raised his hand; a protective shield glowed brightly and she found herself trapped.

"Oh come now—this is quite possibly the first time we have ever taken the time to talk to each other—and you try to run?" He pouted

slightly, and his blue eyes moistened.

"Makes me think—mommy doesn't love me," He suddenly grinned and she found herself unnerved.

Nuitari took another sip of the coffee and waved his hand at a chair "go on have a seat."

She thought of yelling out to Leo, "don't bother—he won't come—he's rather tied up right now."

"What did you do?" She demanded angrily.

Again he frowned and she shivered slightly, "Why would you assume that I've done anything—do you think I'm evil or something?" The

frown quickly disappeared and was replaced by a frightening smile.

"Sit." She flinched at the coldness of his voice, and obeyed; he handed her a cup of coffee, "would you like any sugar mom?"

She didn't respond rather she stared into those eyes, and the image of a young boy flashed in her head.

"Where is everybody," she asked shaking the image from her head; she noticed him staring amused.

"They are fine; I just wanted to--" he stopped grimacing "I'm not sure what I wanted to do actually—it's weird I have no idea what I want

to do—just a craving for something to completely me…." He looked at her and her heart beat stopped for a moment as the unbounded

emotions rushed into her. His eyes flickered slightly changing from a cloudy blue to a light hazel.

Nuitari stirred his coffee slowly; her maternal instincts pushed in and she found her hand reaching for his cheek, his hand reached out quickly

slapping her hand away.

"Don't touch me," he hissed and the piercing blue eyes reappeared, "I should have killed you—that time I should have killed you—but I

couldn't—how is it huh? Why is it that I can hate you so much—but I cannot find it within me to kill you?" His eyes were pleading now, but

she remained silent.

"TELL ME!" He suddenly shouted slamming his fist on top the kitchen counter.

"I don't know--" she whispered "You're my son," was all she could say.

"Your son—I thought I was just demon spawn," he responded bitterly, "no that isn't it—something keeps holding me back."

"Tell me—is this what it means to be mortal—this uncertainty, this desire to be wanted?" He finished his eyes questioning.

"I did want you—I wanted to keep you—I just," she shook her head trying to explain.

"He was never mine; your words if I remember correctly—how can you say you wanted me when you never thought I was yours?"

How could she explain—to tell him that despite the front that she had placed in front of her sisters that losing him, had been the worst thing

that could possibly ever happen to her; that she had wanted him, the family and even the premonition of her little girl had never been enough

to change that.

"Family—I have no idea what that means but sometimes I dream about it," he was saying and she found herself listening, "sometimes I find

a place were I belong—with a mother and a father who love me. Other times I find myself alone, always alone--" He smiled sadly.

"Nicholas," she spoke up and he looked at her surprise for a moment, "that's right you were there—I made you kill me or what would have

been me."

"That was you—why?"

Nuitari shook his head, his eyes glazed over, "I didn't want you there, you didn't deserve to be there," he said vehemently, "but you

resisted—and I could feel the emotions pouring through your soul."

He stood up flexing his shoulders, and she noticed a black mark running down his neck.

"You did want me—I know that—I think I always knew that…but sometimes it's just not enough—I just can't forgive you." She stood up

quickly, "I don't care if you can't forgive me—I just want my baby back."

His hand reached out and he softly stroke her cheek and pulled her into a hug, his head resting against her shoulder, "I was never yours

mom," he slowly tried to pull away, but she held him tighter— "I'm sorry," she murmured against him, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and pulled her arms away staring into here eyes, for a moment she saw the flash of the family that he wanted, but

something held him back; raging deep within his soul; without a word he faded away from her arms.

"Phoebe, PHOEBE!" Piper's voice broke through, "what?"

Her older sister moved forward a concerned look in her eye, "you okay." "What happened?" "You were standing there just looking

forward—I thought something was wrong."

Phoebe shook her head, "no it was nothing." Piper looked at her quizzically but decided not to push the issue.

Phoebe always did have her secrets.

* * *

He snapped awake, and wiped his eyes groggily. Leaning back against the chair Nuitari concentrated, the magic pushed and struggled, but 

calmed down as the hollow suppressed its powers. Reaching forward he stroke the box that laid in front of him; he had finally crossed his

Rubicon, and now it would only be a matter of time before he was complete.

The Hollow was once again in his hand; but he was not satisfied; there were some loose ends that he needed to take care off; two loose

ends—'your mother and father?' His mind questioned, his humanity rose to protest; his demonic half roared in anger; but he silenced both.

It would be the end simply; her death, his father's death they would come, the hate grew in him, festering within his soul.

He was unsure, and he sought answers, the small portion of the hollow that he had reunited with were not enough; yes he felt stability, the

blood had stopped leaking and the sores that had opened upon his body had healed—but his mind remained shattered, unbound by power.

He morphed into his human form, and moved the chair that he sat on back resting his head against it; the pressure within his head only

increased.

Nuitari let out a scream and shimmered; he stumbled forward dropping to his knees his knees and held his head; panting as the cool air

rested itself around him. He could feel the beating of the sun against his back, and huddled backwards. A park he had shimmered to a park

he realized, shifting he moved towards a tree leaning against it unconcerned of who may had seen him.

The rays of the sun offered no comfort rather they pierced his eyes, making him wince as a shot of pain flashed through his head.

He shut his eyes but the pain continued, and he could feel the hollow roaring within his veins; his humanity pushed against him and his

demonic side screamed for him to destroy.

The pain suddenly eased, and he felt a shadow fall over his eyes; he opens them faintly and noticed a small girl standing before him; she was

about five and was wearing blue overalls covering a pink shirt; with her hair tied into a messy ponytail; with bands falling over wide green

eyes that were burrowing into his. She didn't seem afraid and he quickly sensed her; she was human from what he could tell but a faint

magic aura surrounded her. She had seemed him shimmer he could tell after checking her memory; perhaps he should wipe her from

existence? A look of concern was on her face and he berated himself.

"Are you okay Mister," she spoke up with a lisp and he found himself smiling, "I'm fine."

"I've never seen anyone just appear like that," she spoke up again and he turned his eyes to her, "what's your name?"

"Penelope my mommy calls me Pep." She said, and then looked scared, "My mommy told me I shouldn't talk to strangers."

A "P" what irony, he thought, "well Pep, I'm not a stranger, I'm a--" he paused; how could you explain to a child that you were an all

powerful god who was seeking to destroy the world, "I'm a fairy."

"You don't look much like a fairy," He grinned and sidled up closer to the tree, "well I'm a special fairy."

"How so?" he let out a sigh, "I can make anything you wish come true."

"Really," the uncertainty that had tainted her voice was lifted, "Yeah, anything you want."

"I want a--" she paused screwing her face into a contemplating look, "a best friend."

He raised an eyebrow at that; "a best friend?"

"Mmhmm, friends are good to have, that's what mommy always says," "and you don't have any friends?" He retorted.

"I have friends—but I don't have a best friend." As if it made perfect sense.

He looked at her as she stood there twisting her foot lightly into the ground, "Do you have a best fri--" she began.

"Penelope!" He turned his gaze as a black haired woman ran up to them; "There you are," she turned her gaze to Nuitari "I'm sorry I hope

she was giving you any trouble."

"No; none at all," he turned his eyes to the little girl who was gazing shyly now at him, reaching behind his ear he pulled out a small gold

coin, and handed it to her.

She stared at it for a moment and turned her eyes up to her mother who after awhile nodded; gleefully she took it from his hand.

"Now what do we say?" her mother asked, blushing she spoke up, "thank you mister fairy."

Her mother raised and eyebrow and Nuitari shrugged sheepishly, "since I didn't get a chance to grant your wish; when you want just

whisper whatever it is to the coin, and it will come true—okay?"

She nodded again and he turned to the mother who smiled warmly; grabbing her hand they both moved away, and he watch them fade from

view; no doubt the mother would tell her that it was nothing more but a game that the man had been playing wither her.

He let out another sigh and confusion rose within him, another emotion--he felt a pulse and the hollow quickly consumed the feeling; it was

his destiny and it raged upon him, and for the first time Nuitari of the Black Moon submitted to the pull of fate.

* * *

Phoebe shifted uncomfortably on the stool, as Piper leveled her gaze at her making her feel like a teenager. But every time she would raise 

her eyes to ask Piper what was wrong, her older sister would just brush the question aside and huff.

"Where's Leo."

"With the kids," Piper said curtly and proceeded to wipe up an invisible spill; "Cole's been gone since this morning, just in case you would

like to know," "Why would I care" Phoebe responded slightly angrily; Piper paused and she let out another huff as she went back to

scrubbing at the area, her face pressed into a scowl. Phoebe shifted uncomfortably again, and Piper threw the cloth on the counter.

"What was up with last night?" She bit out staring at Phoebe who quickly lowered her head.

"Don't know what you are talking about." Piper growled angrily "Don't try it Phoebe, the whole club witnessed your little 'tussle' with

Cole."

"I was mad."

"MAD WHY THE HELL WAS YOU MAD!" Piper shouted, Phoebe narrowed her eyes, and Piper recognized that look on her face; it

was the same look the she would get when they were children, the look that meant someone had touched something that wasn't theirs.

"That little slut he was dancing with; he was only dancing with her because it would make me jealous."

"Make you jealous."

"Well that's what he thought." Piper shook her head "Phoebe—you have to stop playing these games, if I remember correctly you and your

dance partner were dancing a little--" Piper paused "provocatively as well."

Phoebe shrugged her shoulders, "so if he had been dancing with her at first--" "You would've done the same thing." Piper pulled a seat out

trying to hold back her frustration.

"That's not the only thing Phoebe—you two disappeared last night after the little 'incident'." She studied her sister who was slowly turning

red, and squirming in her seat "I felt something last night Phoebe—something I'm not sure I really want to feel again," Piper shuddered. "But

afterwards I felt something else—from Cole—Phoebe what happened?"

Phoebe let out a sigh now that she thought about it, "you know something—after every time we made love—I always thought Cole told me

he loved me," Piper scrunched her face as if she was about to throw up, Phoebe let out a laugh, "now that I think about it—I never actually

heard him say it."

Piper's eyes widened, "honey if there was one thing that was true was that Cole loved--"

Phoebe smiled again "I know and he never had to real say it afterwards; I don't know with him to hear him say it—it would seem to make it

untrue. His loving me was just a fact of life. He never had to say it not once, because I knew he did." She looked away her eyes clouding

for a moment, "last night we made love—and when we were done I wanted him to say it Piper—I wanted him to tell me he loved me. I

can't believe I let it get this far Piper—he was the 'love of my life' and now it's to the point were I can't even tell if he loves me?"

"Do you still love him," Piper said tilting her head to the side, Phoebe hesitated, not willing to answer; praying that deep down she could say

no, but this what had gotten her so deep, maybe if since the beginning she had told Prue and Piper about Cole—maybe things would have

been different. Now to say that she didn't still love him, it would be nothing more but another lie to add to the list, "Yes—god help me but I

do; I thought that maybe I could just brush it aside you know—that I could forget about it; but--" Phoebe finished and laid her face in her

hands.

Piper let out a sigh, "then tell him," Phoebe looked up surprised, "I thought you would be against a relationship with me and Cole."

Piper picked up the cloth and resumed scrubbing, "I've had time to think; your relationship with Cole wasn't the one that had the utmost

support of the family—and I know that had a lot to do with your choice when he came back."

Phoebe looked shock, and Piper chuckled, "come on Phoebe, are you telling me you just stopped loving him? I knew you still did."

"Then why didn't you say something?"

Piper shrugged slightly, "you weren't the only one who was hurt by the whole Source issue Phoebe—Cole—he had started to feel like a

part of this family—the brother I never wanted but was glad to have--" she smiled slightly, "when he came back there was just so much

hurt, anger, and pain that it was better to just see him as the ultimate evil; at least that way we could claim he was never really family, that we

had seen it coming--" she stopped shrugging helplessly again. "He was family—and we didn't do the best that we could have done for him."

"_Family—I have no idea what that means but sometimes I dream about it,"_

Phoebe let out a sigh remembering those words, "So now what—tell him I still love him—that I want him back? He'll just laugh in my face."

Piper moved around the counter and hugged her, "you'll know what to do honey, and Cole I'm sure he feels the same way—just give it

time."

"Time, that we might not have—I have a son out there Piper—A son that hates me, and is angry and lost—God I've failed so much."

"You haven't failed Phoebe, but if you give up then you would have--"

Phoebe picked up the tone in Piper's voice and could feel the restlessness that was behind her words.

"Piper—what's wrong?"

She looked surprised and frowned slightly, "not nice using your powers against me Phoebe," She avoided the glare that Phoebe sent her

way.

"Piper--"

"Sigh—I was talking to Leo last night—the powers that be have given us a time frame."

"A time frame—for what," Phoebe asked confused.

"If we can't stop Nuitari in two months; they're going to declare war."

"What? Why?"

"He's got them worried, and with his powers—can you blame them."

"He's not evil." Phoebe stated.

"I didn't say he was," but Phoebe noted the hint of hesitation, "What aren't you telling me?"

Piper let out another sigh and rubbed her forehead, "you've been saying that a lot lately,"

"PIPER," "those women—the ones Darryl had told us about—he might have been responsible for their deaths."

Phoebe's eyes widened, "No, no, no," "honey," Piper said moving in closer. Phoebe shot up shaking; "he couldn't have killed them."

"He didn't Phoebe; he might have been responsible but--" there really wasn't anyway around this; he had committed murder and there was

nothing that could be said that could change that.

"We have to vanquish him—then."

Piper turned her eyes to her sister, and noticed the determined look, "Phoebe, we don't even know if we can even vanquish him, and the

spell;" she shrugged again, "who knows."

"What am I supposed to do Piper?" Phoebe asked, "I thought all of this was behind me; that I could just bury the hatchet."

"Just take each step honey; that's all I can really say."

* * *

Magic school; it wasn't the first time he had been in there, after discovering the limbo hadn't just condemned him to the Halliwell manor he 

had spent his time venturing around the world. Made things easier, staying around the manor had been too painful. Phoebe had really

seemed to move on with her life, her relationship with Jason had been the real catalyst.

When he had found out that he still existed, overwhelmed by excitement he had thought for a moment to show himself to Phoebe, hoping

that would have proved to her that despite everything that he would always be there—that if she tried there love could survive.

But truth soon overwhelmed him, there was no point to go was there—she was happy, Piper was happy—Paige—Paige had been on cloud

nine. They were a family again and he had come to realize that with him around they had never really gotten the chance.

So he left traveled the world, visiting places that he hadn't visited in years—places that he had at some points made his home. He visited the

families of some of his victims—no he couldn't offer consolation, nor regret for what he had done—not directly anyway, but he would look

after them, help them in small ways—some of them had moved on—the tragedies of life that they had encountered making them

stronger—others—others had self-destructed, left only as mere shells of there formal selves.

Then came the entire affair with the avatars; it had been strange during one of his journey's he had felt an incredible amount of power

fluctuation, and noticed the strange acting's of people; that had been his first return to the manor. They had been happy—the avatar's had

accomplished there goals, and after everything he had hoped that they had learned that the lines between good and evil wasn't so clear—in

the end they had learned that but not before they had lost quite a few innocents.

He had wanted to contact Phoebe at first; noticing that she had still not quite moved on; her relationship with the guy Jason had dissolved,

and apparently she hadn't still found love. A bit of him felt a rush of pride in that there love was so great that no other man she had met

could really compare—but still it wasn't his place—so he set out again, venturing out into the world.

It was at one of those points he had encountered Drake—they had known each other in the past—not friends, demons didn't have

friends—Drake had been a strange demon—pure blood yes but completely interested in humans; the way the lived, there desires. Drake

was one of the few demons that rarely ever showed his demonic form; rather he spent his time above ground. Cole had spent a few times

around him; he would say it was because he had a new mission to complete—and he wanted to find the best way to destroy the

person—or some other lie—but Drake knew—he never said anything of course; not many demons wanted to get on Belthazor's bad side,

but still it was a chance for Cole to connect with his humanity.

His powers had really grown by then, allowing him to influence the outside world, so using his influence he directed Drake to a sorcerer that

could make his wishes come true; and all Drake would have to do was help him out with a little matter

So it came into action; Drake was to help Phoebe believe in love again; and he did well but it wasn't enough. If there was one word to

describe Phoebe—he hadn't found it—but he could think of several others, capricious and stubborn being a few.

So he interfered returning to the manor again, sending the thorn demons after Piper; trying to help her reconstitute the love she had for Leo,

and in doing so hoping that it would strengthen Phoebe—it worked or at least he thought it had—he didn't know he disappeared the rest of

the years had been a blur.

Magic school had become his temporary "home," even after the demonic invasion and the whole battle between the "ultimate power;" he

remembered the gut wrenching feeling he had gotten when Phoebe had died, and he had ventured back to the manor—that was the last time

he had seen her; her soul in limbo just for a brief moment—after that he had spent the rest of the time staying on the manor unbound by the

flow of time; just watching no longer wishing to interfere.

He went around a corner into the large library, Leo was rested on the sofa, Chris and Wyatt leaning around him as he read a story to them,

Simelan was still asleep.

Simelan was one of those strange demons; one who always preached about wanting to rid the world of humans; but never really had the

power—and from what Cole could tell the desire.

"Cole?" Leo asked surprised and the kids waved smiling at him.

"What are you doing here?"

Cole shrugged, "had to get away from the manor for awhile."

Leo smiled knowingly, "Phoebe giving you problems?"

"Something like that."

"Well it's your fault," he said.

Cole looked up perturbed "How do you figure?" "Well you're the one that fell in love with her," Leo said shrugging.

Cole grinned slightly, "didn't really have much of a choice did I? Piper had you—and Prue—well you knew Prue."

The kids perked up when they heard the name of their aunty Prue.

"You knew Aunt Prue, Uncle Cole?" Chris asked.

"Yeah I knew her—tried to vanquish me a couple of times too." The kids eyebrows rose up, "You're a demon?"

"Ex-demon," he explained. Wyatt thought carefully, "like Mr. Simelan?" Cole turned his gaze to the sleeping demon, who twitched slightly.

"Yeah kind of," Cole said surprised that he was even putting himself in the same category as Simelan.

Leo noticed the look, "What's his story? Its not often we meet a demon who isn't obsessed with power, and trying to kill the Charmed

Ones."

Cole grinned, "Simelan's a middle class demon—he was actually born into the middle class, and the only power he had was the ability to

shimmer. That's all that is really known; I heard about him as a kid, we kind of grew up around the same time. He would brag about how he

would become The Source, but don't know—he never really had the drive for it I guess. Demons aren't inherently evil—at least not the

ones on the upper class, it just for some—the evil is bred deeper—and it's hard to pull away from—and others well they just can't find

there place in the world of evil."

"Heh, a world were you can't even count on demons being evil."

"Yeah I guess I kind of started the trend huh."

"I thought you started the whole coming back to life after being vanquished trend." Leo said.

Cole shrugged, "I was the demon of the century I started quite a few trends."

"Falling in love with a witch for instance," The kids grimaced, "that's right did you know Uncle Cole was once married to Aunt Phoebe,"

Leo said teasingly.

"Eww married--" both boys said with a disgusted tone.

"Long time ago kids, way before you were born—it's in the past." Cole muttered bitterly.

"How about you boys both go play," Leo said and the kids huffed slightly getting off the seat as they went to play tag—or whatever game

their young minds could conceive.

"So—what happened," Leo said and turned his gaze strictly to Cole.

"What do you mean what happened? It was simple; Phoebe was just being her normal capricious bitchy self."

Leo frowned, "relax Leo they aren't around."

"She really has you by the balls huh?" Leo said instantly grinning.

Cole merely frowned.

* * *

Nuitari stepped lightly on the clouds, his cloak flapping around him. A whitelighter approached him, and with a wave of his hand he sent him 

or her—he wasn't quite sure—flying backwards.

They were unprepared as he blasted through their ranks.

It had been the first time in a long time that he had set foot unto the realm that was once held by Solinari; going up there had been quite a

chore and he had felt as if he had dived into the ocean without even considering taking a breath. But now on top he felt free, his muscles

worked evenly and he walked confidently across. It hadn't changed much; still full of light, with ceramic pillar's lining the edges.

A few more whitelighter approached but he sent them flying back as well.

It was possible that they did not mean his harm—and in truth even if they had it would not have made much of a difference—but they

tried—the curse of mortality to continue fighting even when all hope was lost.

A blast of lightening flew at him, and he caught it in his palm crushing it out of existence as its residue flickered among his fingers.

Elders—they had gotten involved—maybe he should kill them?

He could feel the hollow raging inside of him crying for a chance to taste the magic. They stepped forward hooded robes covering their

faces.

"What do you seek Black Moon," one spoke up, voice slightly trembling.

Nuitari grinned, "I have come to say hello to an Old friend—he goes by the name of Rowland."

"What business do you have with him," a female voice stated strong and commanding—Nuitari found he really didn't like her.

"Nothing that concerns any of you—so please move or I shall be force to thrash you," he retorted mockingly.

"We cannot do that."

Nuitari shook his head sadly, "Move," they were blasted away bodies slumping on the floor.

He cocked his head to the side, and watched as they struggled to their feet, one sending another blast of lightening at him; he merely gazed

as it struck his body, and wiped his robes clean.

"Once again—MOVE."

They flew back slamming into the pillars the filled the room.

He closed his eyes, and focused—power was every where around him each with a different level. He concentrated harder and found the

spark he had wanted. A great fluctuation of power, and it was right ahead of him.

He smiled and shimmered allowing the Hollow to sniff out the force.

He arrived in a small room—one that he recognized—he and Solinari had on times spoken here—it was a memory—and it surprised him

usually he saw aspects of time different events that had occurred—but here it was a memory.

"Black Moon," a voice said.

Nuitari gazed up and his blue eyes met silver ones that glowed brightly.

"Hello Rowland," he stepped forward, and felt a vast concentration of energy lay upon his body, but he continued forward.

Rowland moved a hand sweeping back the hood, revealing a mass of golden hair, "I have felt what you have done to Kratos Black

Moon—have you come to finish me as well."

Nuitari nodded, "I figured—you know I am rather ashamed of you Rowland—I had expected more sense from you."

"The time of the God's had come to an end," Rowland spoke calmly, and Nuitari felt even more pressure encompass his body.

"Did it—It seems that you and the others have done exactly that—played the role of God's." Nuitari motioned with his hands, sweeping

them extravagantly, "living high above the world, judging and deciding—directing the lives of mortals," he shook his head, "seems like

God's to me."

"Mortals—must have some factor of control within their lives—to strip such a factor away leaves nothing but chaos--."

Nuitari nodded, "Surprised at how long it took you to understand that," the pressured increased.

"Then you have the chains of fate then." He moved slower now, feeling as if he was wading through deep water.

"No—the chains have been freed." Rowland responded clapping his hands together.

Nuitari could no longer move, the magical pressure keeping him in place.

"Flamma," Rowland spoke, and took a deep breath—a blast of flames escaped his mouth and hit Nuitari full force.

Instead of engulfing him they were absorbed into his frame, and with a twitch the magical pressure rebounded and the realm trembled

violently and the pillars lining the wall's collapsed.

Nuitari continued forward, and with a sweep of his hands a wickedly curved blade appeared in his palm.

Rowland remained seated, "how?"

"Turns out our old friend Kratos had a bit more secrets."

They were close now, and Rowland's eyes appeared relaxed.

A magical shield appeared and singed his body as it forced him back; Nuitari held his hand forward striking it against the magical shield.

"Aqua Pura," Nuitari gazed up as from Rowland's body a massive flood of water rose up slamming into him with its torrential force.

Nuitari lifted his hands and the water slammed against it; the pressure increased, "AARRRG," Nuitari screamed and the flood exploded,

some of the water drenching his cloak.

He shook his hair, and lifted his eyes up to Rowland, "Was that it? At least your doing better then Kratos," Nuitari grinned, and moved

forward.

Rowland eyes widened, and the silver of his iris's seemed to spread throughout his entire eye's shinning with a holy light.

"Fulmineus," Nuitari stopped, eyes widening. Lightening etched around him, and struck his body, searing the flesh and he screamed as his

body caught fire. His cells erupted and with a tremendous blast his body exploded.

Rowland's eyes narrowed, as the scattered parts reassembled forming a shivering mass which flesh grew over.

Nuitari stood whole once more, and moved forward a gleam in his blue eyes.

"Rowland, Rowland—I helped forged the fire's of creation, I watched the birth of humanity—I foresaw the rise and fall of great

empires…did you honestly think a little electricity would kill me?"

He placed his hands on the magical shield, flinching slightly as it burned his skin, small flashes of electricity playing between his fingers.

"Every magical shield has a weakness Rowland—even yours."

Nuitari rapped his knuckles against the shield and watched as it shattered.

"Do you fear me Rowland—what I am capable of? Without you the entire realm of 'Good' magic will collapse—were will your precious

Elders and whitelighters go? How will they know what to do without your 'sound' judgment--?"

Silver eyes met the blue ones and Nuitari saw no fear, rather the same defiant glare that he had witnessed in Kratos shown brilliantly in

Rowland's.

Acceptance,

Understanding, "We were right—Black Moon—the time of God's—has passed."

Nuitari smirked, "Yes the time of God's have passed—but my time has just begun." The blade entered Rowland body quickly and easily;

as his last breathe escaped his body, the same defiant glare remained, and Nuitari could only return it.

Wyatt's scream pierced the hall and Leo and Cole rushed forward, the young boy body collapsed on the floor twitching as his eyes glowed

mysteriously.

"Wyatt, WYATT!" Leo rushed him, as Chris cried hysterically; Cole reached and pulled the younger child away; watching as Leo placed

his hands over his son —but no warming glow appeared this time—but it wasn't necessary a few moments later Wyatt calmed down, and

his body slumped slightly.

"What the hell was that?" Cole asked holding a sobbing Chris closer.

Leo looked up his face pale.

"I'm not sure.

* * *

Nuitari pulled away the blade disappearing—he wasn't satisfied even with Rowland's death he still felt incomplete. The hollow raged in his 

veins and he suppressed it back. He leaned forward over the ashes staring at them. This was mortality? To be reduced to nothing but ashes

of what you once were?

What was the point of power then, if it could not protect you from your own mortality—something that he was now cursed with.

He was lost in thought, and ignored the other presence that filled the room. The sound of encroaching footsteps echoed within the empty

cavern, and he lifted his head, feeling for the magic aura. It was powerful, and very similar to his; Nuitari turned taking note of the hooded

figure that was walking towards him. It wasn't a whitelighter, the power signature was significantly different—nor was it an elder.

Nuitari took a step forward, he felt magic suddenly encircle him and was thrown back slamming into the ground.

He stood up shaking as a robed figure approached him, another blast of magic hit him, but this time he fought back, it bounced against him,

and he could feel his molecules pull in different directions.

"Who are you?" It was the first time he had encountered a magical being that could even

move him—especially one who wasn't among of the three.

The robed figure halted, and pulled back the hood. Black hair fell down, thin eyebrows framing green piercing eyes. Pink lips pursed in a

disproving manner, and Nuitari could only laugh.

He knew them—this person—this being…

"Hello,--"

* * *

OOO Cliffhanger—man it took me awhile to finish this one didn't it? Oh well hope you guys enjoyed the chapter—I'll probably edit it a little—or more then likely a lot. If you have any idea's how to make the fight scene between Nuitari and Rowland better PLEASE EMAIL ME. 


	14. Lock

I DON'T OWN CHARMED OR DRAGONLANCE

* * *

Chapter 14

Lock

* * *

He cocked his head to the side; he had never heard of the person before—or seen them—but he knew them—it went beyond his ability to see all different frames of time, rather it delved unto a personal level—family--.

"Aunt Prue," He grinned, "what are you doing here—come to give me a spankin'?"  
Her green eyes rested on his and he suddenly felt unnerved, "I came to talk."

His eyebrows widened, "talk—you have a funny way of 'talking'"

She lifted her head up, and he shuffled uncomfortably, "well go ahead, lecture me," he said nonchalantly, with a wave of his hand a small chair appeared and he slumped down into it.

"Do you know what you've been doing?" She questioned, approaching him slowly,

"getting revenge, plotting to kill my parents—destroying the three powerful forces of magic that displaced me and the others—ya know the basics," his grin was wiped off when she sent him a sever look.

"You're reckless; you're drawing and releasing to much power—even magic is literally suffering," he shrugged his shoulders, "I am magic—I don't feel like I'm suffering."

"Aren't you? You've noticed it, the tired strain—even after absorbing the part of the Hollow Kratos had."

He lifted an eyebrow—"How'd you know about that?"

"We've been watching you, for a long time now."

"We?" he questioned incredulously

"The family," she said gently.

Nuitari barked out a laughter, "family—what family? Where were you when the seer ripped me out of your sister's belly?"

She remained silent, "Oh that's right, Once a demon always a demon." He said snidely "Yes—but your not a demon--"

He grinned slightly, "I am what I choose to be—and now I choose to be the master of this realm." Prue shook her head; he had really inherited much of the Halliwell traits—the stubborn pigheadedness, the inability to admit that he was possibly wrong.

"You can't master this realm—you're not a God."

Nuitari tilted his head again, "I beg to differ, has death made you stup--" he stopped quickly and shut his eyes expecting a blast of magic; he peeked out after a few, and noticed her standing there calmly, a look of pity on her face. "I mean I'm pretty sure I'm a God."

"You're not a God—you're a child—one who's been forced to grow up faster then he should've been."

"Should've been—What I should've been was a child born to a Charmed One and a Demon—I should have had a family—that is what should've been—do not lecture me about what I am and what I am not—I AM A GOD!"

"Are you," Prue said softly her eyes questioning his. He threw his hand outwards into the sky, and the heavens parted; the black moon hung in the sky, glowing and grinning menacingly.

"Do you see that?" he jumped up screaming, "THE BLACK MOON HANGS BECAUSE I EXIST. I AM NUITARI!"  
She shook her head again and moved closer, and he stepped back his eyes suddenly glowingly, "you are not Nuitari," she said gently, subtly had never ever been her thing, but she could feel the pain radiating from him, no matter how hard he was trying to ignore it to suppress it, he was very much like his father, "you don't have a name—your not a god, your not a demon, human, or witch—you are as the others being's who exist outside of time—collection of magical powers—"

He was seething now, "Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" She said, "The headaches, the pain, the bleeding; do you think a God would feel those pains—or at least be able to stop them,"

His eyes glazed over, "the pull—don't you always describe it as feeling incomplete?" She moved closer, and he backed away his eyes wide, behind them she could see the child; crying, tears pooling—and they now fell from his; the tangle mass of brown hair flopped in front of his face, and the tears dropped to the floor sizzling and steaming; she stopped a few feet from him his head quickly snapped up, and she saw the change the grief replaced by madness and the magic burned in his blood as a guttural laugh left his throat.

"You should leave Prudence," his voice came out in fevered pitch, "Or should I show you why I am called the devourer?" His eyes were burning blue now, but she remained standing, confidant; it did nothing more but irk him.

His neck stretched and the black marking crawled up even more his mouth opened wide and from it the haze escaped swallowing up anything that was in its path.

He watched confidently as it covered his aunt, but rather from the ecstasy from devouring a new soul a burning sensation rose within the pit of his stomach, gagging his throat and rendering him to his knees as he pulled his arms tighter around his body attempting to hold back the pain. The Hollow raged within his blood, and his nails raked at his skin drawing blood as he felt it rise beneath.

Pain so much pain his mind screamed in protest to the onslaught, and he could only feel—it was all around him—his mortality—he would die—he could die—and as the emotions rose and the Hollow began to feed upon his soul—he saw himself for what he was--

"What did you do to me," he hissed between clenched teeth, his eyes bearing upwards tears dripping downwards.

"I did nothing—you just proved my point—you are not Nuitari," Prue responded nonchalantly

"SHUT UP!" He pulled a hand up, an energy ball glowing ominously as he hurled it at her; it dissipated in mid air with a motion of her hand; the magical backlash slammed into his body, and he could feel his skin peel backwards as he flew backwards through the air, his body slamming and rolling unto the ground.

He climbed up to his feet unsteadily, and wiped his lips the once red blood pooling under his robes a sinister black color.

Prue had been the most powerful of the Charmed Ones, he could tell even as his mind eye was distorted by the pain that continued to eat at him—but even so her powers should not have been enough to stop his.

"This realm is not your own—and despite what powers you may hold on earth—Solinari's presence still lingers within these halls." She retorted as if he reading his mind.

He stepped forward but his leg gave way and he crumbled down unto his knee, he was breathing easier now but the pain still tore through him; her footsteps feel against the floor and she knelt in front of him her hand pushing the strands of hair away.

"You need to stop—I know you know it too—the damage can still be repaired—just let it go," she whispered softly to him, and he shook his head violent brushing her hand aside as he staggered upwards to his feet.

"I know," he pulled in a ragged breath, his blue eyes clearing, "I know—but," and his eyes faded.

"It really doesn't matter does it?"

Madness is said to be an eternal struggle locked within the crevices of humanities soul; the lines of reality and fiction blur to the extent were one can no longer tell if what they see, feel, hear is the truth—or a construction of pure lies. As he stood there his body glowing brilliantly, his aunt standing before him, Nuitari felt the final crease of insanity as it leaked within his veins, only to be eaten away the hollow—completion—destruction--chaos—order—eternity was nothing more but a pool of madness to him, and he suckled on its warm bitter milk like an infant.

Prue shook her head silently, as she saw her nephew collapse; his face twisting in anger, violence—and she faded away as he released his powers the clouds scattering as a beam of light exploded from him shaking the foundations of the realm—filling the room with smoke and fire.

He started to scream—an empty scream—that of a being that was lost—nothing more but a void; blood leaked from his body again; black and smooth—from his eyes it poured like rain—and yet he felt no pain.

Mortality was the finale—a gift granted to mortals, while the Gods remained with life. Pain was the first experience, that any in the world would feel—that of being ripped away from its security to be placed into a realm were death lingered upon their soul waiting to grasp and hold them within its eternal embrace.

The God's cannot know death—it is not their course they do not die the cease to exist—physical no—but within the mind, reality—as time passes even they find themselves as nothing more but fairytales told to children. To mortals God's were nothing more but things to be used and tossed aside—and in the end that is there is no greater death.

Nuitari—the child without a name—the god—the man—the demon—a trinity—a being that should be—but at the same time should not be. As the power exploded from his being—forcing outwards of his form without resistance—as the hollow crept its way through his veins—his eyes caught sight for the first time the black moon—blacken sphere within the sky—radiating power—ominous—corrupted power--a vague understanding—a moment of clarity—for the first time he saw that the tears that the moon cried—they were not of sorrow—but tears of laughter—The God—The Man—The Demon all locked within the eternal struggle—unable to escape—to let go—tears of pain—binds of sorrow—the eyes of a child lost—seeking—wanting—crying to its parent—its guardian to protect it from the wrath of the world—and the black moon continued to laugh.

Leo carried Wyatt carefully to the coach, while Cole held on to a frightened Chris; Simelan was already awake the violent thrashings of the younger boy raising him from his slumber.

"What happened to him," he whispered trying to put a note of indifference into his voice, the others ignored him crowding around the child; Chris shuffled against Cole's arm trying to move in closer to his brother.

"He's okay," Leo trembling voice broke through the clenching silence.

Cole approached carefully, his gaze on Wyatt who was now resting comfortably and then shifted it to Leo, "how about you?" he asked noting the increasingly drained look on the whitelighters face.

"I'm fine," Leo waved his hand dismissively tending his focus on his son, but Cole noted the weariness tainting his voice, and the twitching in his hand.

He was lying, and no doubt Cole could tell—he had been a lawyer after all—but it was the best he could do to try to ignore the feeling; Leo could feel a cosmic void deep within his soul—it had been a faint signal the past few days, as if something important was missing within the world—but now it was spreading and as he tried to connect with the other realms he found that the calling was faint—painful even.

Something was wrong up there, and he wasn't sure what but he could feel his powers weakening; he wiped his forehead, his sight blurring as he almost toppled over, if Cole's hadn't caught him.

"Leo," Cole positioned the whitelighter upright, as Leo struggled against his hand and managed to climb to his feet.

"I got—I got to go," Leo said breath coming out in ragged gasps, "Go—?" Cole started but stopped when Leo orbed away leaving him with the kids.

Simelan raised an eyebrow, "Wonder what's got his panties in a bunch?" Cole scowled and passed his hands through Wyatt's hair to wipe away the sweat.

"Uncle Cole--" Chris sniffled slightly, "I'm scared," Cole looked helplessly as he pulled the younger boy to his lap, "don't worry Chris, I'm sure everything's all right."  
He noticed the look on Simelan's face and sent him a glare which effectively warned the demon not to utter a word.

Of course he didn't know if anything would be alright, and he was considering calling the sisters—whatever was going on had him worried; being in limbo had put him more in touched with the realms—he guessed it was another side of the punishment, to feel the pain but not be able to do anything to stop it, and now from the realm up there he could feel a massive tear occurring as if something truly important was missing.

Cole shook his head, and focused on Wyatt who seemed too had fallen into a restless sleep, and Chris shifted closer to his older brother.

Something was definitely wrong, he didn't know exactly what—but whatever it was he didn't like it—not one bit.

Leo pulled in a deep breath, forcing his body upwards. His orbs felt as if they were on fire, aching as with each passing moment he had to squeeze an uncomfortable amount of air into his body.

The clouds parted and he managed to orb through collapsing unto his knees as he landed softly on the clouded floor. Heat burned against his skin, and the usually feeling of tranquility that he experienced was displaced by a chaotic choking sensation. He pulled his hand around his stomach trying to not to heave, a hand laid against his shoulder, light, and cooling.

A soul—but souls couldn't be roaming about like this it wasn't—right. The brown eyes of Penny Halliwell greeted his, and as he struggled to his feet she helped righted him.

"What's going on," he asked confused, and twisted his head around finally taking sight of the destruction around him. Souls were everywhere, helping Whitelighters and Elders a like; and as the worked he noticed that a few of the Elders were injured pretty seriously.

"Was it a demonic attack?" He asked but it didn't make sense Demons—couldn't shimmer or flame—or whatever up here, whatever energies that were encompassed in this world didn't allow demonic transportation. "Quiet down Leo," Grams spoke up, leading her Grandson-in law to a nearby pillar were he leaned against it gently still out of breath.

"It wasn't a demonic attack, rather—he came through Leo and killed Rowland," blue eyes opened wide, she didn't need to say a name for him to know who she was talking about.

"Rowland," he whispered and she nodded, "He's still here," she continued, and turned her eyes pointedly towards a careening twist that was at the edge of the realm.

"Prue had gone in afterwards—and she had managed to talk the Seraphs from going in after he had…killed Rowland—but it wasn't enough."

Leo's eyes widened, Seraphs were the highest ranking of Angels, and rarely interfered unless in dire consequences, he had caught a glimpse of some during his time as and Elder, and he knew that the human pictures of Angels truly didn't do them any justice—but for them to be called now had to be pretty big.

"Wait you said Prue had gone in?" Grams nodded, "She's with Patty right now helping out the others—she had tried to talk to him—make him understand," Leo found that he wasn't all that surprised that she had managed to talk down the Seraphs—when she wanted to Prue could be very convincing.

"He wouldn't listen though—I think it's too late," she shook her head, "He's a child," Leo spoke, "what he's doing is nothing more but a reaction—and sending in the Seraphs—they'll kill him."

Grams grimaced slightly—"I wouldn't be so sure."

Leo frowned, when a piercing wail filled the area, and he covered his ears, a bloody figure flew through the opening and landed slightly, burnt flesh shifting acridly through the air, his heart stop as he noticed the shifting figure as a Seraph, one of its six wings having been ripped off and the others burnt; it shifted slightly on the floor its mouth gaping and closing shut; he noticed a few souls and whitelighters approach it, trying to see if they could heal the damage, but it was too late as it let out its final gasp fading away into dust.

"That's the fifth one now—he's been in there—I'm not sure what Prue said but it didn't help." Grams covered her ears as another yell erupted from the tear, but this one was different, it was deeper filled with anguish.

Another scream followed, and a ripping sound. The tear against the near wall grew larger, "The Seraphs have been trying to hold him back—but it isn't work well his powers have gotten stronger—too strong."

A cracking sound soon followed and a pale hand burst through, as Nuitari pulled out, blood and gore draped over him, a look of utter contempt was apparent on his face; gone was the calm calculating look of a god and Leo could barely recognize the young man; behind him he dragged a bloodied body which was pulling in ragged breaths, the spirits gathered around the whitelighters, and Penny narrowed her eyes; he stopped short of them, eyes cast down brown mass of hair blocking him from view and with a swift motion he threw the body into their midst.

Arms folded against his chest, and he raised his face cold blue eyes piercing through, the mass of brown hair, which seemed to suddenly stand up menacingly. "He doesn't have much time—I suggest you try to get him comfortable. They staid silent, none daring to approach, the souls fearfully holding there hands together as the pulled in closer. His eyes swept over each and every one of them, and fell on Leo, he moved forward, and Leo struggled slightly to lean forward as Penny took a step in front of him.

The souls gathered even tighter together, and for a moment Leo felt Nuitari's rage boil over eyes flashing red, hands clenched, as blood dripped from the bitted claws. There eyes met for a moment, and without a word he disappeared fading away into the clouds.

Penny let out a sigh, and turned her eyes back to Leo, "you should rest for awhile—its going to be awhile before your strength comes back."

Leo shook his head, brushing his hair from his face, trying to wipe away the beads of sweat the had formed, "I have to get back—and tell the others," he said breathlessly, "Well you aren't in any position now to be orbing about carrying messages," she said sternly, "Come with me, for now the best you can do is regain your strength—your no help to anyone like this." He wanted to argue, but his eye sight grew darker, and letting out a deep breath he allowed himself to be led into the throng of the other spirits.

Phoebe let out another sigh, her finger twirling a strand of hair that had fallen across her face as she struggled to concentrate. She sat cross legged on her bed, sweat pants and a sweat shirt, her hair pulled back into a bun, and a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of her nose as she attempted to focus on the laptop. The last few weeks had been extremely hectic at first it had been subtle, little influxes, catching up on feelings that she shouldn't be able to, and at first they were dismissed-- but the giant shift in magic had become almost too much to ignore. Her and her sister's powers had been completely over the border for the past two weeks her empathy had raged out of controlling forcing her to lock herself into her room, and everything she touched triggered a premonition—very vivid premonitions…she shuddered, it would be the last time she ever let Paige borrow one of her dresses. An explosion rocked the house, and she barely lifted her head. Piper wasn't having better luck, between panicking over Leo, and her powers completely out of whack her older sister was a complete wreck.

Things were changing, and in a way she found these moments as a chance to ignore the massive changes. It kept her from having to confront the brutal reality that was all around her. But she couldn't hide forever, as her fingers flew across her laptop the inevitable fate crept up behind her, and she could feel its cool grip tightening around her neck. It was these times that made her wish she could just crawl under her covers, ignore everything and not have to deal with her life not have to deal with her son—did that make her a bad mother? As far as she was concerned she was already a horrible one, and as time past the growing feeling that she was losing him had intensified.

She had tried to contact him, everything from a summoning to a blood-to-blood spell, and though she could feel the pull of magic envelope him, and that maternal connection she experienced whenever he was near intensify—it wasn't enough. He resisted the pull, and more then anything that scared her, the possibility that any connection, insignificant as they may be had been severed…she took a deep breath her empathy soaring, and she almost panicked.

It wasn't the only thing bothering her though, and she raised a hand to rub her forehead. It was a good thing she had locked herself in her room, and asked for a sabbatical from work—no doubt Elise would have fired her already if she had someone who could possibly replace her. A certain ex-demon was still lodged deep in her thoughts, and though she had managed to avoid him it still wasn't enough as her empathy peaked every time she thought about him. It was as if fate itself was bent on making her life hell, though she could manage to avoid the rest of the emotions—the ones that she felt rolling from him there was very little she could do to block them, and they came in rushing, and leaving a path of carnage on their way out.

She still couldn't talk to him face to face—to tell him the truth. What was the truth? Her mind taunted, and her heart swelled up, that she still loved him. "How many times have I said those words?" Admitting them in the confines of her own room, were not another soul could hear—well hopefully—was nothing new to her, it was those words that had helped her overcome several lonely nights, and now to say them out loud—a part of her felt relived, and another part feared that the feelings would not be returned, that finally after so many times of telling him that she no longer loved him—that he really had moved on. It didn't matter that almost all signs showed the opposite, and that her empathy was never wrong, the fear still crawled up inside of her.

Another sigh, followed by some more aimless typing, a larger bang this time, coming from downstairs followed by some more curse words from her sister; her life still hadn't taken the direction that she had wanted, and with the way things were it made her wonder if it ever would.

She felt a tingling sensation in the air, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as her heart beat raced. She knew that feeling it could only mean one thing…Cole shimmered—or whatever it was that he did—into her room, his hair a mess, and looking extremely disgruntled.

"What are you doing here," she hissed between clench teeth, and for a moment he appeared confused taking the time to gather his surroundings, turning to her he flashed a slight grin, and she felt her face blush red, "sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, "force of habit." She bit her tongue wondering how after 5 years appearing in her room unannounced would still be a force of habit for him, "whatever just leave," Phoebe said this time her teeth missing her tongue, she notice the flash of pain that past on his face, and her empathy picked up the rest of the emotions.

The look was quickly replaced though by one of indifference, as he seated himself on the blanket on the edge of her bed, ignoring her stare, "can't do that," he replied, "Piper's in one of her moods." Phoebe let out a huff, and yanked the blanket from under him, pulling it a little closer to her body.

"Fine stay here, but don't do anything," she stated feeling like a 15 year old school girl, she shifted her gaze back to the computer and once again began typing. She could feel his eyes resting on her, and she fought the urge to pull him into a kiss, instead she tried to concentrate even harder, while her empathy mocked her.

"What?" She finally said raising her head back up and was surprised to see him slightly startled, "nothing—just thinking." He finished lamely, and swallowed the lump he felt rising in his throat, she raised an eyebrow and turned back to the screen. Cole tore his gaze away from her and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. He was nervous he noted, and he was surprised that her empathy had quite caught on; when was the last time that he had actually been nervous?

He opened his mouth slightly, but no words formed, no thoughts, just a slightly little gasping sound, which he was sure she heard, but made sure to ignore. So he sat there, on her bed, letting the minutes fly by, wondering why of all the places that he could have gone he chose here, and when she let out the frustrated sigh that he found that he still loved—he knew the reason why…and somewhere inside of him a small little voice was laughing.

He shimmered over the world, the silence of the Underworld was too much for him to bear, but the vacuum of the mortal realm set fear within his heart. This was the only place that he could truly go, a place were he contemplate—no matter how slightly. Nuitari sat quietly on the beach, the light of the pale moon shining on his front, offering little comfort as he felt the burning blight of the black moon upon his back.

He ignored its laughing glare, and the mocking tone that he could hear fluttering within his ears. Greece—it was a place of mythologies, a place were the Pantheon of ancient God's rested. He found the irony bitter sweet upon his lips. Mortals made into gods by the Elders, and him was he not the same a mortal attempting to emulate a God? Nuitari he called himself, but he didn't have a real name, he had never earned one. There was no true identity to which he was a man, a demon, or a god; in the end the brutal realization that he was nobody ate away at his soul. He laughed at that…soul…heart…he wasn't even sure he had those, he felt the beating within his chest, and when he turned his gaze inwards, he saw the organ, and when he felt around he could feel the presence of something surrounding his body, sinking deep within his core.

Yet emptiness abound. He would not be alone. The world, he would reshape it; make it one where he could be accepted, wanted.

A familiar presence settle around him, and his eyes gleamed slightly—like a moth to the flame. As he faded away the cool breeze flapping were he once sat, the black moon look down—and continued to laugh.

Aprisecus stood slightly on the beach; his robes wrapped around him as the cool breeze of the Grecian winds braced around him. It was many times that he came here; at this point he felt the most connections with the world. The edging danger and honor within the Eastern world, the mysteries of Africa beckoned at him, the history of Europe enchanted him, and the youthfulness of the America's satisfied his soul.

His end was near, and he knew it to be true. He could sense his presence near, not the power, but rather the confusion that was radiating from his body, upsetting the balance of magic much greater then his Death or the Hollow could possibly ever cause.

There wasn't much left to do he realized, casting aside his façade of an elderly man, resuming his original form. A middle age man, not the face of one who focused on the past, or the visage of one who's eyes were set to the future…no his focus was on the present—he had no future, and the past—the past was better to be forgotten at certain points.

A slight breezed picked up and he felt a cold shadow flash over his body, and the biting coldness of steel pressed slightly against his neck, drawing blood. But he did not flinch, nor did he tear his gaze from the sea's waves which seemed to beckon to him as if it was his beloved.

The voice was colder then he last remembered when he spoke, a slight edge. Madness, fragility? Emptiness? He really couldn't tell, but as he spoke Aprisecus felt nothing more but peace—sweet, bitter sleep.

"Hello old friend." Aprisecus pulled in a deep breath, his heart beat rushing, as the blood pounded in his ears

The cold blade was removed from his skin, and Aprisecus released his breath. The anticipation of death, had wound up deep within his heart, his mind venturing forward already to wonder where his fate would lead.

He stood in the middle of the path; unlike Kratos who had favored dark magic, or Rowland whose very essence had become the foundation for light magic. He was neutral the ever present watcher, yet never the interferer. What would his fate be, was it truly nothingness that awaited him on the other-side?

"That is for only the God's."

His voice broke the silence, rough and bitter; coming out as if a choking gasps of one who did not have enough air.

"Then I have nothing to fear," Aprisecus responded and he felt the form move beside him, their eyes reaching out into the fading light of the Grecian beach; blue and black watched ever so presently as minutes passed by, the ebbs of time fluttering around them, as its waves threatened to cast them into its impassable depths.

The silence stretched between them, and Aprisecus lowered his body unto the sand and closed his eyes, allowing his other senses to taste the earthly winds.

"It has changed quite a bit."

He could only nod, things had changed. Too much it would seem at some points, and at others it was as the changes were just not enough, that despite everything the cycles continued all ruled by time.

"The Greeks abhorred time," his voice was stronger now, but still low. Despite this Aprisecus did not need to struggle to hear nor to understand, the emotions flowing from his soul were enough.

"It was something that was instilled in all mortality—all those through who veins coursed magic. It was only fitting—magic was eternal, encompassing all parts of space; predictable, you did this and this would happen; time," He paused slightly and lowered himself down unto the sand as well, his brown hair fluttering as the wind picked up slightly, "time always had an end, time would always be unpredictable, a door through which when one passed one could never truly return—time would be the God's curse to humanity, the way to humble these mortal beings—to allow them to understand that all has an end. It was just a matter of how long one lived to actually see it." He closed his eyes as well now, as Aprisecus opened his own to face him.

Peace, it was brief but Aprisecus saw it, and at that time a brief moment of understanding was reached between the two.

"I'm still going to kill you," he spoke again, and Aprisecus nodded, neither moving.

"I know," he finally said turning his eyes back to the beach, as the pale moon shone in the sky. In the distance he could feel the looming form of the black moons shadow eating away at the world.

"I can't stop it," his voice cracked slightly, and he attempted to clear his throat. "That moon, it continues to laugh at me, I close my ears, trying to drown the noise—I pull out the magic, but I can't…it just won't stop." He shook his head.

"I don't even know what I am anymore, at first a God, that was what I placed myself at but it was different, those memories—they weren't mine, and the powers they were distant…I was merely a part of this world, I wasn't its essence or reality—powerful yes—but in the end I was just another being—what am I to define myself as now?

Aprisecus continued staring forward his eyes wavering slightly, "you do have a family." He said simply his voice soft, and the boy next to him raised an eyebrow. Aprisecus smiled slightly, "I have been watching you—and I'm sure you've been aware," he laughed and Aprisecus only smiled wider.

"They could never forgive me," he finished and a note of sorrow crept into his voice.

Aprisecus' eyes fluttered, "if there is one thing that family tends to do very well it is forgive."

"What do you know of family," the boy scoffed, "setting yourself as God's was it not to separate yourself from your mortal inhibitions?"  
Aprisecus turned his eyes to the darkened water which splashed against the sandy beach the wind picking up speed.

"I shirked my duties as watcher once."

Silence, followed by a faint cough and he continued.

"I could not handle it, the others didn't understand—how could they their minds settled to the different sides of the spectrum, they could not see the suffering and destruction that was abound—nor the love and loyalty that teemed in the world that you had created."

"So you fled," he laughed quietly.

"I spent time as a mortal; it was a time mortals called the "dark ages;" when mankind was brutal—and at times kind." Aprisecus laughed this time moving his hand to brush a strand of hair from his eyes.

"A wife, child—a family," a sigh escaped from his lips.

"You bred?" Nuitari raised an eyebrow.

"I created life— the first time I held my daughter in my arms I could feel something that the others would never understand—"

"What happened?"

"The times were cruel, and diseases were rampant...and mankind at times just as cruel"

"You could have stopped it."

"I wanted to, the stars above knew how much I wanted to; but the others would not let me—my leaving left a sore spot within the circle—we were at our weakest and factions were forming," Aprisecus scoffed, "Kratos never truly forgave me for that."

"So they died,"

"Yes," his face fell sullen, "afterwards I tried to continue living on the world," Aprisecus stood up "but it no longer held a place for me—I faked my death and returned to the others. Kratos was not willing to accept me, but Rowland was more accepting--"

"Did he not understand?"

"He could not—but what he did know is that it took all three of us to truly maintain balance." He paused. "It would have been better if I had just died—no soul—just magical essence I would have simply ceased to exist."

"The responsibilities were too much eh—I—he never truly told Lunatari how much he truly respected her for her role."

"No—I saw them, but they—they did not remember me. I tried talking to my wife once—she spoke of me—but as I stood in front of her she could not remember me…" he laughed and the boy stood up.

"Would you join her—in death?"

"I don't know—we have already exceeded the basic concept of death haven't we? I have lived for so long, and now I only wish for the sweet embrace of death."

The boy began to answer, but suddenly clutched at his head; holding his temples between his thumbs. Aprisecus looked on worried. "I have little time before the madness overtakes me again."  
Aprisecus smiled at the words, "madness is it now?" The smile was not returned; the pale blue orbs turned to him, and he took deep breaths.

"Relax your mind," Aprisecus spoke softly, and he nodded, "The transition is painful—I know but you must fight."

Their eyes again turned towards the dawning sky, as the first ray of the sun began to penetrate the veil of darkness.

"I am weak…I cannot continue…."

"I feel my end coming soon," Aprisecus spoke again, his voice relaxed and calm—faint almost.

"I'm sorry."

A smile, "don't be--" The pale hands reached out, and Aprisecus could feel the magic flowing from them. His body began to break apart, small orbs of light floating from him into the sky.

"Go and rest Aprisecus—with your family."

The ocean breeze swept across and his body disappeared flowing upwards into the sky.

The Black moon remained in the sky, its gaze never wavering, even as the warming light of the sun brushed his front. A sign of his duality if there was ever any. The light of the sun and the darkness of the moon all were surrounding him.

He let out a sigh, and he felt the recession of his mortal mind as the magic quickly devoured the rest—Nuitari of the black moon, rose up standing upon the beach; the waves slapped against his shoes, and the dark mark crawled its way up his face, blistering his soul.

The Black Moon continued to laugh…fate in its inevitability.

Paige fought down the sudden urge to orb;—she knew that having a magical child was pretty trying. But—this—this was different; her own child was fighting against her, as if sensing someone that needed help.

"Calm down, baby." She whispered and let out a sigh when she felt a sudden kick to her belly in response. Stubborn, just like her…it was her luck that she would end up with a child that shared the same trait.

She felt another kick and rubbed her belly gently; it was probably because magic was out of whack—she was holding a magical child after-all. As if in response she fought down the urge to orb, and she felt a magical tingle shoot through her spine. She moved to the window, it was morning, but she still could see the dark presence of the Black Moon above her; she shivered slightly from its looming form. It was darker now, and it felt as if it was just waiting for the opportune moment when it could devour the world.

She shivered again, pulling her arms around her; a biting cold wrapped itself around her as her eyes flashed red before her. She stepped away from the window her chest aching as she struggled to breath.

Darkness loomed in front of her eyes, and she swallowed a scream as she stumbled back and feel striking her head; she stood up groggily something warm trickled down her forehead. Blood—she was bleeding—she stumbled forward slumping down into a nearby chair as she finally managed to pull in a breath.

Orb—she demanded, but her body wouldn't respond, no that wasn't it, she could feel her body being pulled apart, but something was holding her back…she cast her head downwards…her baby…it was stopping her.

"No—no--" she could feel the pressure building in her skull, and the presence of the Black Moon crept into the room.

Her eyesight faded slightly, as the darkness wrapped itself around her—and as she lost consciousness her eyes caught the glimpse of a small red glow emanating from her belly.

Piper paced back and forth, her hands moving through her hair, her eyes darting back and forth. Phoebe gazed at her, and raised her hands slightly, but lowered them when Piper let out another huff.

She shrugged her shoulders slightly and sat down, the business of the hospital getting to her. Cole stood besides her leaned slightly against the wall. "How could this happen?" Piper suddenly hissed out, her eyes red, as tears streamed downwards.

"She's okay honey," Phoebe interjected, she forced the confidence into her voice "the doctors said that it was just a fainting spell; her and the baby are both fine." It was the best she could do really to try to calm Piper down.

Piper turned around glaring at her, "We both know that wasn't any DAMN FAINTING SPELL!"

A few of the nurses turned around and Phoebe quickly motioned to her sister.

"Relax Piper." She whispered as gently as possible

"Relax, how am I supposed to relax when my pregnant sister is in a hospital?"

"Look she's okay and that's all that matters."

"Thanks to Henry" Piper pointed out "if he hadn't come home…." Phoebe nodded, as she took Piper's hands into her own rubbing them gently "I know but let's not dwell on the past okay."

Piper leaned into her sister's embrace breaking down….

"He said he found her glowing," Piper whispered and Phoebe's eyes widened.

"What?" "Glowing red, and the room was so cold—but she was warm as if whatever trying to get to her was being held back."

"You don't think?" Cole spoke up and Piper nodded.

His shadow arched across her sleeping form, and he pulled a chair to sit down upon.

"I'm sorry," he whispered; staring at his aunt's belly. Her eyes were shut and he could see her lids flutter about as the machines hummed gently around her.

A small red glow was his answer, and he bowed his head slightly.

"I did not mean too—I…." He paused, and leaned closer, but a red shield shot up blocking his path. "You do not trust me," a sigh escaped and he lifted a hand up placing it gently against the shield; wincing in expectation of the pain. Instead a he felt warmth, slight—but enough.

"I am not sure of whom I am—what I am, but…" "I do not have much time—and at these moments I wish I could hear your wisdom," the glow brightened slightly. A small smile touched his lips.

"Yes—you have waited millennia's to finally hear that….I'm sorry—he couldn't do more to protect you to protect him--" silence fell over and he lifted his eyes up—the red shield dimmed, and he stood up. Pressure built up around his lungs, and he could feel the magic pushing him to flee causing pain to shoot up his side, but he managed to push it aside. It was light out—but the black moons shadow managed to creep its way into the room, engulfing them in its crushing darkness.

"Do not touch her," he commanded his voice high pitched—but it mocked him, the tendrils crawling forward—beckoning. The thoughts flew through his head, and he felt like clawing his skull apart.

"I will not!" He whispered, the magic flickered slightly in his hand, as he keeled over, reaching his hand over to his neck. The black burn of the hollow crept up higher. He cast his eyes to the sky, ignoring the blinding light of the sun. Flicking his wrist he attempted to parry the creeping shadow leaking from the black moon. It wrapped itself around him, and he could feel it burning his skin.

"LET GO!" He shouted ignoring the possibility of anyone hearing… "LET GO!" The shadow pulsed once—twice.

The explosion rocked the hospital, and Piper gripped Phoebe tightly as nurses rushed pass them.

"What's going on" Piper demanded to one of the nurses who ran past.

"There was an explosion in room 123." She yelled not stopping.

"Room 123; Isn't that…" Phoebe's eyes widened. "PAIGE!" Piper screamed and rushed off, Phoebe right behind her.

"Please stand back Miss." The Guard spoke up standing in front of them gun drawn.

"DON'T TELL ME TO STAND BACK!" Piper screamed and pushed the man out of the way rushing through forward through the hallway.

"Piper—" Phoebe cut her words short as she felt the black presence in front of her.

"Oh god," people were screaming, as the nurses and doctors struggled, to gather the patients and bring them to safety. Another explosion rushed through the hospital, and Phoebe stumbled backwards. Strong hands supported her, and she turned her eyes up, catching Cole's he stood there glancing forward intently. "Thank you" she whispered, and he simply nodded; "NOW IS NOT THE TIME YOU TWO!" Piper screamed out, and Phoebe quickly righted herself following after her older sister. They burst through the door, smoke billowing—it burned their eyes but they could make out a faint reddish glow.

"Paige" Piper rushed forward gripping her baby sister.

"What happened," she demanded, but Paige only pointed towards the corner. He stepped forward, black shadows pouring from his body. His mouth opened and closed but only short gasps came out, small droplets of blood fell to the floor—it was red—bright red. They watched in horror as the black shadows wrapped themselves around him, his eyes the last thing being seen. Phoebe felt her heart clench as they focused on her.

"Mom—" the black mark digressed, and a bloodcurdling scream escaped his throat. He hunched forward, and two bulges expanded from his back, the screaming stop, and Phoebe rushed forward, she felt Cole's hands grab at hers, but she slipped through his grip, her goal before…the explosion blew her back, and she landed gently on the floor, a red glow supporting her.

He stood up, his once blue eyes tainted with gold; two pairs of silvery wings arched from his back, their light reflecting that of the black moon…Laughter, that was what she heard as she faded into the darkness, laughter and the sound of wings flapping in the night…her son…she had lost him…again.

Well that's chapter 14—rushed yeah it was but hey….Review and what not.


	15. Open

I don't own Charmed or DragonLance. Thank you for the reviews greatly appreciated.

Chapter 15

Open

* * *

Cold….he was so damned cold; he pulled in closer tightening his grip around his body, staying were he was situated, wings wrapped tightly around him; the feathers cutting into his skin…drawing blood…black blood. He chuckled…black blood? Yes where had his mortality gone now? Locked behind the chains of insanity…a darker recess of his mind where the cries of a small child fell upon deafened ears. He continued to laugh manically his hands wrapped around his face…clawing attempting to tear away at the black trail that made its way from his neck.

Nuitari sent his fist crashing into a nearby wall, watching it crack upwards, and pain shot through him. He felt the dark whispers recede, and what felt like the first time he drew in a breath; standing up he stretched his back and felt the wings pull inwards. Pain kept him mortal, but even now it was dull as if it was something from far away. Cold…damn it he felt so cold, he turned his eyes upward and wondered when the Sun would rise…at this moment he could really use some heat…cold.

He didn't even know what he wanted to anymore…his mind scattered…his goals disorientated…kill his parents? Reshape the world, destroy the world…rule it? What did he want? The Hollow…to make it part of him, to use it to absorb every magical beings power…bring about a new world were the gods could be reborn…but they already were and it wasn't the same. His time had gone by…long pass, it was mortalities turn…but what if mortalities time had ended? Was it not his job to play as its judge, jury and executioner? He was indeed the most powerful force of pure magic in existence…normal mortals those without powers…No what was he thinking? His mind was clouded with the shadows of dark magic, and he could only catch a glimpse of the light that struggled to shine through.

What light…he didn't even know what he was staring at, feeling…damn it all. He slammed another fist into a wall, and winced again at the pain that shot through. It didn't make any sense, nothing did anymore.

"I should have killed her," he whispered and he didn't even know who he was talking about. His aunt, his cousin…his mother, the very thought shot pain through his head, and he vomited; retching over the floor. Flecks of blood were mingled in it, and he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. The wings fluttered gently, and he felt them swipe against his skin, and he bit back a yell. It didn't hurt, so he didn't know why he had yelled, but it was as if it was cutting something different, something deeper, then just flesh.

A soul; he laughed again, and rubbed his hands gently against his skin, and watched as it boiled and peeled off, pieces of his flesh falling to the ground. Pain, shot through again, and he choked back another yell. Damn it all it wasn't worth it; he could feel the dark regresses of the shadow hunched over him, its hands wrapped around his body, bitterly cold.

'_Give in'_ the words were whispered to him, and he rested backwards, the cold grip suddenly warming up. He leaned in deeper; Nuitari of the black moon closed his eyes gently, the pain being washed away by the warmth, as he wounds healed…he felt loved…comforted…he was home

* * *

Phoebe sat besides Paige, stroking her hands; while Piper paced back and fourth. They had managed to get home, sneaking past the nurses and orderlies who were in panic. Paige's disappearance would definitely draw attention, but at the moment they had more pressing matters to attempt to resolve. Cole leaned against the far wall of the manor, while Leo hunched over Paige his hands glowing slightly over her.

He leaned up and sighed rubbing his forehead "well Paige you seem okay, and no harm to the baby," Paige smiled slightly, and rested a hand on her abdomen, "That's cause the little one here knows how to handle herself." She said cheerfully, but Phoebe could here the strain in her sister's voice.

"Well Good, what I want to know is what the bastard was doing there," Piper huffed out eyes redden. Phoebe bit back a bitter retort, "Revenge perhaps," she forced down the emotional bile that was rising through the room. She could feel Piper's anxiety which she attempted to mask with anger; Coles desire to speak up his emotions tainted with pain, and something that felt like shame.

"No," Paige spoke up struggling upwards, while both Phoebe and Leo quickly aided her. "He was apologizing."

"Apologizing?" Piper questioned incredulously, "What was he apologizing for?"

"Not to me…to her," Piper raised and eyebrow and Paige pointed at her belly, "To your child," Phoebe asked again, and Piper stared, while Paige merely shook her head in patience.

"So she's here," Cole spoke up, and Leo moved forward there eyes meeting, "She?" the sisters both questioned and Leo cleared his throat.

"The first of the three, she who is hallowed once…Lunatari of the Crimson Moon."

"So you're saying my child, my little girl…is one of the three," Paige spoke up slightly shaken, but Phoebe could feel a slight pride within.

"So it's come to this then," Cole said, and Leo nodded, "With possibly all three here, he is the only one with full power…Solinari is not powerful enough to subdue him," "and Lunatari is of no use now," Cole responded.

"OKAY WHAT THE HELL ARE THE TWO OF YOU TALKING ABOUT," Piper screamed "It's…" "Balance," Cole cut Leo off, his voice cold, "Balance is necessary within ever being, and important to the very foundation of the world itself, why do you think demons are still around; Humanity or the Elders for that instant? All three are balances of this world, this realm. Neither side has ever fully destroyed the other, not because it would be impossible…but because it would destroy reality."

He moved forward walking closer till he stood by Paige, "These three, magical gods were balanced, none more powerful then the other, contrary to how tales may have described them…Nuitari as he is now is destroying reality."

"So how do we stop him," Leo spoke up "The attempt is to try to make him into a child again," "None of our spells would stop him," Phoebe spoke up, "we haven't tried any spells," Piper responded, "the power of three is the most powerful weapon we have, nothing has ever been able to stand up to it not even the Source," Piper grimaced slightly "Sorry Cole" he shrugged his shoulders "What if it doesn't work,' Paige asked, here eyes catching Phoebe's. "Then we vanquish him."

* * *

"It's not going to work," "Phoebe," "No…we can't summon him with this spell," "Why not?" "Just no Piper…"

Her sister let out a huff, and pulled back her eyes hardening, "Phoebe I need you to pull out of this crap okay, I don't get what's wrong with you, but it's like you don't even want to save him anymore."

"IT'S NOT HIM ANYMORE!" Phoebe broke down, sitting heavily into the kitchen chair, her hands covering her face, "it's not him," she whispered softly. Piper sat down next to her sister, and pulled Phoebe's hands into her own.

"Honey its okay, you'll get him back," "No Piper…at the hospital…that thing, that thing that was crawling up his body, it was taking over," Phoebe rubbed her eyes frantically, pushing back the tears. "And he called for me, he called me Mom…and I couldn't help him!"

"Pheebs," Piper began, but cleared he throat, when her sister let out a sob, "we will find a way to save him."

"How, that spell won't save him, it's too call a lost wit…" "And he is a lost witch," Piper cut him off, "No matter what he is a Halliwell, and maybe this spell will be enough to awaken that part of him, and bring him back."

"He's fallen so deep into evil," "Well then drag him out," A voice interrupted and Phoebe raised her eyes to meet Cole's.

"It doesn't matter how far into evil he may have fallen, as long as there is still a spark of innocence within them…a little goodness they can be brought back…you just have to try."

And when he said that she knew that they weren't just talking about there son anymore; "I think I'll leave the both of you to talk," Piper said hurriedly, and walked out. Phoebe felt like following but she was glued to her seat, her eyes lost within her ex-husbands.

She had been dreading this moment, this talk…and in some ways eager to finally get it over with.

"Cole…"

"Phoebe…."

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

Oh another cliffhanger, short yes I know but seriously…I have horrible writer's bloke lol. Anyway review and what, I'm editing so go through the story and re-review…is that even a word…anyway changes have occurred review and give me feedback not just on this chapter but everything else.


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